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From: "Bill Morgan" <morg1058@chartervt.net>
Subject: {ASSM} NEW from Morgan: KELLY, 3 of 4; M/F Rom
Date: Wed,  1 Aug 2001 18:10:03 -0400
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<1st attachment, "Kelly 3.txt" begin>

The following is a work of fiction regarding sexual
relationships.  If you feel that it is illegal, immoral, or
otherwise improper for you to read this, then DON'T READ IT.

* * *

Kelly

Copyright 1989, 1998, 2001 by Morgan. All rights reserved.

You will note from the copyright dates above that this book was
written before the fall of the Berlin Wall.  One does get lucky
sometimes.  What did not happen, though, was the overthrow of the
Soviet government; it's most of the same people wearing different
titles.

Incidentally, you will find occasional entries, _word_.  The
reason for this is that MS Word's Auto Format function puts a
word preceded and followed by an underscore in italics; that's my
intent.  Similarly, *word* results in the word appearing in bold
face.  If you use Word's Auto Format, it will take care of
things; if you don't, you at least know why it's there.

More of my works are posted on my site <www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Morgan/www> If
you like it -- or if you don't -- please let me know at
morg105829@aol.com.

Incidentally, _Kelly_ in its complete form is also on my site in
.rtf format.  It enables the reader to read it with appropriate
accents, italics, etc.

* * *

Chapter 16

It was a sunny September day in Langenhagen.  Kelly had been
asked to meet Sam Adams there.  She hadn't been back since she
had escaped and now found herself feeling a chill at the thought.
 Now she was a major general.  Kevin, now a captain, teased her
that she had missed a promotion with at least one paycheck.  She
hadn't been promoted at all in August.  She had left Mike back in
England and missed him desperately.  He was now fully recovered
from his wounds, and Kelly smiled thinking how much she enjoyed
massaging his shoulder while he massaged her breasts and body. 
She was always nude when she did it.  As the car passed through
the now-open gates into the school grounds, she was surprised to
see so many vehicles parked there.

As they drove past the auditorium, Kelly shivered, remembering it
as the place where she had publicly lost her virginity.  She was
led to the rear of the building, and suddenly realized she was
being taken out on stage.  When she appeared on stage, there was
an explosion of cheers.  She was greeted by Miss Handy, the
headmistress of the school.  As the woman took Kelly in her arms
and hugged her, Kelly could feel the woman's tears as well as her
own.  Kelly remembered Miss Handy had been naked on the stage and
demonstrated what was to come by taking a Russian soldier in
front of the whole school.

She looked at Kelly, holding her at arms length.  "Kelly, you are
simply beautiful.  I can't believe what's happened to you!  I
understand you are now a general... a real one!  Come here and
sit down."  The woman escorted Kelly to the place of honor.

Kelly still had not had a chance to see who was present, but the
small auditorium was filled to overflowing.  Just then a band
seated in front of the stage struck up the German National
Anthem.  Kelly rose and saluted as the President of Germany came
out on the stage.  He stood at attention and waited for the
conclusion of the anthem, then took a seat.

Miss Handy went to the microphone.  "Ladies and Gentlemen,
welcome to the American School.  This is a very special day for
all of us.  We come to honor a single person, Kelly Jackson.  It
is my great honor to introduce the president of the German
Federal Republic, Herr Gustav Schmidt!"  She spoke in perfect
German as she introduced the President.

President Schmidt went to the podium and put on a pair of reading
glasses.  He said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honored to be here
today.  Never let it be said that we Germans are not grateful. 
General Jackson, would you please come forward?"  Kelly rose from
her chair and stood before him.

"I can't keep calling you General Jackson," he said with a smile.
 "Let me start over.  Kelly, we are here to honor you today!" 
When he said "Kelly" the room exploded with cheers again.

"Kelly, many of us know you have won this war for us.  You are
winning the peace as well.  As the smallest token of the
appreciation of the German people... now on their way to
reunification at last, thanks to you... I award you the Golden
Order of the Knight's Cross, the highest military award for
heroism Germany has ever had.  It has been re-authorized by the
Bundestag especially for you."  He hung the golden cross around
her neck and continued.  "This cross joins the Victoria Cross
from England, France's Croix de Guerre, and two Medals of Honor
from your own United States.  Such bravery and heroism the world
has never seen.

"In addition, there will be a new bridge across the River Weser
to replace the one you destroyed.  It will be the Kelly Jackson
Bridge.  It will carry a plaque describing what you did and the
fact that your actions led, ultimately, to the reunification of
my people.  There is no way to measure the value my people place
on this achievement.  Suffice it to say it is the dream of our
lifetime come true.  Thank you, Kelly Jackson, from a most
grateful German people!"

He then took her in his arms.  The President was a burly man who
was actually a bit shorter than she was.  He hugged her and
kissed her on both cheeks.  As he held her, he whispered, "Kelly,
I have been told to tell you that if at any time in the future
you want anything it is in the power of my nation to provide, you
will have it.  It is our solemn promise to you."  The president
sat down and smiled as Kelly returned to her seat.

Miss Handy returned to the microphone.  She looked towards Kelly
and said, "Kelly Jackson, you are a troublemaker.  We had a
faculty meeting about you last week.  There were some who wished
to award you a diploma.  However, it was pointed out that you
flunked biology... twice.  But then we received a letter from the
Army's Surgeon General saying you had performed two very delicate
battlefield operations flawlessly.  So we waived the biology
requirement.

"It was then pointed out that your history was weak.  However,
certain people -- including the President of the United States --
insisted that you have been making it... on a scale comparable to
Alexander the Great and Napoleon.  So we waived that requirement,
too.

"However, our primary mission here is to teach German to
English-speaking women.  Kelly, your German was atrocious. 
However, the Chancellor of Germany threatened officially to
change the language to conform to the way you speak it.  At this
point, we gave up.  Kelly, would you come forward, please?"

Kelly rose and went over to the woman.  Two girls came out on
stage carrying a black academic gown which they put on over her
uniform and then put a black mortarboard on her head.

Miss Handy said, "By the power invested in me, I confer the
diploma of The American School of Langenhagen, summa cum laude!"
She handed Kelly the diploma and took her in her arms and kissed
her.  She whispered, "Thank you, dear Kelly!"  She stepped back
and asked her to say a few words.

Kelly stepped up to the microphone and began speaking in flawless
German.  She thanked Miss Handy and the President.  Then she
added that she had just lost one of her distinctions:  She had
been the only general in any army without a high school diploma.
Now she felt better.  She waved at the crowd and returned to her
seat.

Miss Handy said, "This ends our formal ceremony.  There will be a
reception for Kelly in the garden immediately."  She dismissed
the group and returned to Kelly.

"Kelly, I'm sure you know we were teasing you.  Incidentally,
your German is absolutely flawless.  It couldn't be better. 
Honey, there are some of your schoolmates still here who want to
thank you.  They remember what you did.  We talked about it. 
Whenever someone was to be punished, you volunteered to take the
punishment in her place.  It was very painful, dear, but we
survived, all thanks to you."

They went out to the garden and the first person Kelly saw was
Mike who took her in his arms and kissed her soundly.  Her
mortarboard slipped off her head during the kiss, and Kevin was
holding it for her when Mike released her.

He looked at her and said, "Boss, can I give the graduate a
kiss?"

She went to him and he kissed her on the cheek.  She glared at
him and kissed him soundly on the lips.  "Damn it, Murphy, you
ought to know by now that I'm not breakable!"	

Kevin grinned and said, "I know that, but what about me?  I also
know my fiancee is almost as tough as you are.  Now you'll have
to protect me."

Just then Katrina Solov came running up.  She gave Kelly a big
kiss and then poked her in the ribs.  "That's my fiance you're
kissing.  And I'm jealous!"  Katrina wheeled and grabbed Mike,
giving him a warm and lingering kiss on the lips.  Kelly grinned
as she could see Mike's face getting red.

Katrina released him and quickly took Kelly aside. 
"Congratulations, sister!"  The girl grinned, and Kelly noticed
how relaxed she was now.  She and Kevin were engaged to be
married; the wedding was scheduled for St. Basil's in Moscow in
just two weeks.

"Kelly, I've been thinking.  You call my father Uncle Mischa. 
The fact is, I think he loves you as much as he loves me."  She
smiled warmly as she spoke, showing no jealousy at all.  "You
know I'm teasing, Kelly, but he thinks of you as a second
daughter.  Do you know what he says?  He says he is the luckiest
man in Russia.  'I have two daughters: one with silver-blonde
hair, and the other with golden blonde.  How lucky can a man be?
My daughters are two of the most beautiful girls in the world.' 
I know he loves you like a daughter.  And I love you like a
sister.

"Congratulations to my little sister on the occasion of her
high-school graduation.  Father is a bit busy right now, but he
asked me to give you this as a memento of the day."  Katrina gave
Kelly a beautifully wrapped small box.

Kelly opened it and gasped.  "Katrina, is this what I think it
is?" she asked.  "Can this be one of the Faberge Easter eggs?"

Katrina smiled warmly and nodded.  "It was approved by the
provisional government of Republican Russia.  There is a card for
you.  Please read it."

Kelly called Mike over and asked him to hold the box.  She found
a note written in beautiful Cyrillic script.  It said, "To Kelly
Jackson: With utmost gratitude from the Russian people.  No one
has ever done so much for us."

She looked at Mike and said, "Honey, don't even touch it!

"It is a Russian national treasure, Katrina, which I cannot
possibly accept.  It is utterly priceless.  Please return it to
your people with my gratitude.  The offer alone isoverwhelming!"

Mike looked at the magnificent golden egg.  "I've heard of these.
 They were made by Faberge as Easter gifts for the Czar, weren't
they?  There are only a few known to exist, and this is one of
them.  Kelly, some of us have tried to explain to you the
significance of what you've done, but you refuse to understand."

Kelly was just looking at the egg and shaking her head when Adams
and Carlson walked up.  Mike showed them the gift, and they both
instantly understood its significance.  She told Katrina again
that she couldn't take it.

Katrina glared at Kelly and stamped her small foot.  "Kelly
Jackson, you will take it and keep it.  You will let your
children play with it.  You will have it on your mantel.  I am
not allowed to bring it home with me.  Do you think so poorly of
us that you don't believe we Russians value our freedom as much
as this egg?

"It is a truly beautiful thing, I agree, and I hope you and Mike
like it.  I hope your children like it, as the Czar's children
did.  It is the smallest token of the esteem in which we hold the
person who, even now, is being proclaimed as the Liberator of
Russia.

"Kelly, you can't believe the preparations that are going forward
for my wedding.  It isn't me.  It's the fact that you have
consented to be my maid of honor.  It is going to be a major
State occasion in Russia.  Kelly, you will be a guest of my
country.  We hold our new freedom to be precious.  We have been
deprived for so long!  You must accept!"

Kelly looked at her dear friend and then hugged her.  "Katrina,
thank you.  There is nothing I can say.  I recognize that I have
been given a national treasure.  May I accept it as a sign of
enduring friendship?"

Sam Adams took her hand and grinned.  "Cathy told me to order you
to move your ass!  The wedding is next Saturday in London.  As
usual, Kelly, you're the maid of honor."

He held both her hands and looked into her eyes.  "Kelly, there
are great debts, and great debts.  I think the Russian people
have just shown in a small way their sense of gratitude and the
size of the debt they feel towards you.

"As far as I'm concerned, words are inadequate to describe what I
feel.  You can't imagine what you've done for me personally. 
Cathy has told me the whole story now.  I can only say I've never
been happier.  Then you win the damned war... and the peace!

"Young lady, I don't think it's ever happened in history.  Now
I'm going to do something I've never done either!"

With that he took her in his arms and kissed her soundly.  When
he released her, her mortarboard was again on the ground.  Adams
grinned and said, "I've never kissed a major general before.  I
love you, Kelly.  Thanks!"

Kelly finally got away from the officers and went to see her
schoolmates.  She found several of them with babies.  The girls
had recovered from the tortures of their captivity or were
rapidly doing so.  They crowded around to kiss Kelly.

When she looked up after talking to one of the girls, she saw her
mother standing nearby, just waiting.  She yelped and ran over,
now seeing her father as well.  They kissed her and explained
that they had come over in a Presidential aircraft.  The
President had sent his regrets.

Bob Jackson said, "The President expressed a small
disappointment:  He rather liked the idea of having a major
general without a high-school diploma.  He asked me to tell you,
'Why did you have to go and wreck it?'  Kelly, there's nothing
your mother or I can say.  We are the proudest parents on the
face of the earth.

"By the way, there's a rumor that you received a graduation
present from the Russian government.  May we see it?"

She showed them the egg.  Barbara Jackson looked at it in
amazement.  "Darling, is this what I think it is?  One of the
Faberge eggs?  My God, this is a Russian national treasure.  You
can't keep it!"

"I know, Mother.  I've just been all through that with Katrina
and Sam Adams.  Katrina said it's a matter of Russian national
pride.  The Russians feel it's a mere trinket compared to their
liberty.  They credit me with winning their freedom.  They want
Mike and me to keep it on the mantel for the children to play
with.  They say that's what it was made for."

Barbara looked at her husband and said, "Bob, I don't understand
military things; you know that.  I guess I do understand this,
though.  Kelly did achieve something remarkable, didn't she?"

"Darling," he replied, "her achievements have been so enormous
there's no standard to use to measure them.  They are truly
unbelievable!"

The Jacksons joined Mike, Kevin, and Katrina on a military
transport back to England.  After the Jacksons connected to a
commercial flight back to New York, the others went into London
where Katrina was going to be staying.  The foursome found a
quiet bar in a small hotel in Mayfair which featured single-malt
Scotch whiskeys and had a most enjoyable time.  The more she was
around Katrina, the closer to her Kelly felt.  She decided that
Kevin and Mike were really a pair.  They were very close in age,
in size, and in appearance.  Both were dark-haired, blue eyed
Irishmen.

*  *  *

She vividly remembered the conversations she had had with Katrina
about Kevin.  Although she was younger, she felt like the older
sister as Katrina gave her a wide-eyed blow-by-blow description
of her dates with him.  It was obvious they were madly in love
with each other.  As a precautionary measure, Kelly had obtained
birth-control pills for her.

One night, Katrina didn't come back to Kelly's apartment.  The
next morning Kelly got up, showered and was making breakfast when
Katrina came in.  She slipped off her shoes and collapsed in a
chair.  Then she dragged herself to her feet and stripped off her
dress.  That was all she was wearing.  She sat on a kitchen chair
with her legs spread wide.  Kelly looked at her and smiled.  "You
slept with him, didn't you?"

Katrina replied indignantly, "I did not!  We didn't sleep at
all."  Then she grinned and said, "Kelly, all we did was make
love!  The first time hurt a little as you said it might.  After
that, it was heaven.  You told me about cuming?  Kelly Jackson,
if the Russian artillery was as explosive as I was, we would have
beaten you!

"Do you mind me sitting this way?  It hurts to have my legs
together.  The only thing that feels normal now is to have my
thighs spread as wide as possible to welcome Kevin inside me!"

Kelly smiled warmly at her friend and said, "Congratulations! 
You've just discovered sex!  Katrina, I don't want to hurt your
feelings, but it's been around for a while.  How do you feel?"

The girl looked at her and said, "Like I want to keep it up until
I drop... in a year or two!"  Katrina grinned, jumped up and took
Kelly in her arms.  "Thank you, dear Kelly.  I owe it all to you.
 Not only is he your aide, but you told me what to expect and how
to act.  Kelly, I think of Kevin's hands on my body, and my...
cunt...? starts to run rivers.  Is it that way with you and
Mike?"

"Of course it is," Kelly replied with a straight face, "But I'm
much younger than you are, so I'm more supple and can..." 

Kelly ducked as Katrina started to beat on her with her small
fists.  "Kelly Jackson, I hate you!  You're mean, insulting..." 
The girl grinned and then hugged her tightly as she finished,
"beautiful, exciting, kind, warm..."

*  *  *

Kelly returned to the present with a start.  Mike had just
suggested dinner, and they went into the dining room.  They sat
at a table and Mike said, "Kelly, I haven't given you my
graduation present.  Do you mind if I make it a multipurpose
gift?"

He reached into his pocket and took out a small box Bob Jackson
had brought with him from the States.  He handed it to Kelly who
opened it.  It was a beautiful diamond engagement ring.

She just sat and looked at it.  Then she looked up at Mike and
said, "Darling, is this for me?"

He took her in his arms, and she melted in his kiss.  Finally,
they came up for air and he said, "Do you like it?"

Kelly removed it from its box and gave it to Mike.  He slipped it
on the third finger of her left hand and it fit perfectly.  She
showed it to Katrina who thought it was beautiful.  Mike said,
"Darling, it pales beside you.  Can I offer a toast to the most
beautiful girl in the world, my future bride?"Chapter 17

The following Saturday the weather in Kent was perfect.  Sam and
Cathy were married in a very small chapel near headquarters.  The
only people present were senior staff from SACEUR and personal
friends of the bride and groom.  Ned Carlson was Sam's best man,
and Kelly was the maid of honor.  They were the only members of
the wedding party.

Mike Callahan escorted the bride down the aisle.  Kelly, standing
at the altar waiting, could feel tears coming to her eyes as she
watched Cathy walk up the aisle on Mike's arm.  She was a
beautiful bride in her lovely white gown.  The wedding ceremony
was brief, and the couple went down the aisle together.  Kelly
was pleased to see an honor guard of senior officers at the
chapel door with an arch of sabers for the bride and groom.

At the reception Cathy and Sam came up to Kelly and they both
kissed her.  Tears were streaming from Cathy's eyes as she said,
"Kelly, there just aren't any words.  What can I say to a girl
who has given me the greatest happiness I can possibly imagine? 
Thank you, General!"

* * *

Several days later, Kelly and Mike left for Russia.  Kevin was
flying over with them in a special plane the Russian government
had chartered to fly them to Moscow.  They boarded it at Heathrow
and three hours later were landing at Moscow.  Kelly was in
uniform as the aircraft rolled to a stop at waiting mobile
boarding stairs.  In moments, the door was opened and Kelly went
out on the platform to be greeted by Mikhail Solov.  He embraced
her and kissed her warmly, then stepped back leaving Kelly
standing on the platform alone.

For the first time Kelly had a good look at the airport and was
amazed.  On the ramp was a large honor guard backed by tanks. 
Behind them, held in check by barriers and hundreds of police,
were thousands of people.  As she looked, a large military band
began to play.  An honor guard advanced the colors of the United
States and the new flag of the Russian Republic.  The band began
to play the Star Spangled Banner and Kelly came to attention and
saluted.  Immediately following they played the Russian National
Anthem, and she held the salute.

Following the music, Solov led her to a platform draped in flags.
 He went immediately to the microphone and said, "Fellow
Russians:  It gives me great pleasure this morning to welcome to
our new Republic Major General Kelly Jackson.  General Jackson
has done more to achieve our liberties than any person alive.  In
all of history, we can find only a single parallel: Simon Bolivar
in South America.  Our historians assure me it a very weak
parallel, at that.

"I met Kelly Jackson for the first time about a year ago.  At
that time she was held prisoner by the KGB in Germany.  I won't
go into the atrocities that were committed against her.  I will
say she was a young virgin.  In fact, she's not yet twenty years
old, even today."

Kelly could hear an audible gasp of surprise from the crowd as
Solov continued, "She is here today to visit our country.  It is
only fitting that she be the first State guest of our new nation.
 She has given us our freedom.  I was concerned about inviting
her.  She has every reason to hate us.  I asked her about it, and
do you know what she said?  She said, 'Of course I don't hate the
Russian people!  How could I?  They've suffered far worse than me
and for a far longer period.  Millions have died, most for no
reason at all.  I'm fine now.'  Then she said, 'I hope the
Russian people don't hate me!'

"I asked why we would possibly hate her.  She replied that she
has killed a great many Russians who were just trying to do their
jobs.  I pointed out to her that, as a direct result of her
actions, most of our men... and hers... will return home alive. 
We have a great deal to thank her for.  Do you agree?"  As he
said the last words, there was a thunderous cheer from the crowd
that grew louder and louder.  Flags, both the new Russian and the
American, were being waved.

Finally the crowd quieted down and Solov asked her to say a few
words.  She stepped up to the microphone and in her perfect
Russian began her address.  As she spoke the first words, there
was another thunderous cheer as the crowd realized she was
addressing them in their own language.

When they quieted, Kelly started again.  "I have just been told
that I am an official guest of your government.  I am very
flattered.  However, I am here to participate in a wedding
joining two of my favorite people in the bonds of matrimony:
Katrina Solov, the daughter of your new president, and Kevin
Murphy, my aide.  I think there is a special significance in this
event.  I hope our two peoples will learn to live together as
happily as I'm sure these two young people will.  I hope you will
join me in extending to them our very best wishes for a long and
happy life together.  Thank you for your very warm welcome!"

Kelly reviewed the troops of the honor guard.  She was introduced
to the senior officers present but did not know what to make of
their attitude.  As they were being driven into the city, she
asked Solov about it.

"Kelly," he said with amusement in his voice, "That was awe. 
They know what you have done... or much of it, anyway.  These men
are professional soldiers.  You are already in the class with
Alexander the Great and Napoleon."  He turned to her and asked,
"Kelly, what would your attitude be if you were introduced to
Napoleon Bonaparte?"

"I... I would be stunned, I guess."

"As would I.  And as are they.  First, you are taller than
Bonaparte by a good bit.  You are far younger.  And you are one
of the most beautiful women alive.  Couple that with your
undeniable military genius, and something quite different,
military skill, and you are awesome.  That's the reaction.  It's
quite simple."

Kelly was housed in an apartment in the Kremlin palace.  She and
Mike looked around, and finally Kelly turned to him and said,
"Mike, would you please take me on the floor?  This is a museum
and with our lovemaking we're bound to break something. 
Everything here is utterly priceless!"

Mike picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.  While he
undressed her, he said, "Darling, we're here under orders from
the President of Russia.  He told me that their historians
believe this to be the bedroom Napoleon used when the French
occupied Moscow.  The difference is they hated him but they love
you."

Soon they were in bed.  Their lovemaking that night was tender
and loving.

The next day they were taken on a tour of Moscow escorted by
Katrina and her father.  Katrina and Kelly left the touring group
early to go to the house now serving as the presidential palace.
One of the first decisions of the new regime had been to
transform the Kremlin into a museum.

Katrina couldn't resist teasing Kelly.  "You realize, I hope,
that you and Mike may be the last people ever to sleep in the
Kremlin?  You're probably the first people to make love in it in
over seventy years!"

They found a dressmaker and her assistants waiting for them. 
Katrina had insisted that Kelly's dress should be special, so the
dressmaker was waiting anxiously for Kelly to try it on.  Katrina
smiled and said, "I asked her to make it assuming you're going to
wear your usual undergarments: bikini briefs."  The woman was
obviously nervous as she waited for Kelly to undress.  She was
soon stripped to her briefs.

The woman looked at her and saw the faint marks of the whip on
her body and questioned Katrina in Russian, "Is this the girl who
was tortured by the KGB?"  Katrina said she was.  "What
barbarism!  This girl is absolutely beautiful.  Who is she? 
Where did you meet her?"

Both of the young women laughed.  Katrina replied, "I guess you
haven't been watching the news.  This is an American major
general, Kelly Jackson.  She is the woman to whom we owe our new
liberty."

The older woman looked up at Kelly's face, and tears started to
flow down her cheeks.  "You are the one who was enslaved by the
KGB in Germany?"

"For a while," Kelly replied quietly in Russian.

The older woman shook her head.  "Not for a while, for a long
time.  You were beaten regularly, weren't you?"  Kelly nodded. 
The dressmaker looked up at Katrina and said, "This dress must be
special!  Let us see how it looks."  The gown was made of pale
blue silk.  They put it over her head and smoothed it down.

Katrina clapped her hands in delight.  "Kelly, you are
magnificent!  Come and look at yourself," she said, taking her
over to a peer glass.

Kelly was a vision.  The gown was utterly magnificent.  It had a
full-length skirt of silk chiffon over silk.  The gown was
strapless and essentially backless.  The pale blue was a lighter
shade of the color of her eyes.

The dressmaker got to her feet and looked the dress over
critically.  As she looked, she was slowly shaking her head
sorrowfully.

Finally Kelly asked the woman what the trouble was.

The dressmaker replied, "I can do nothing.  Absolutely nothing. 
The General is so beautiful, nothing can be done.  It has never
happened to me before.  I thought Miss Solov was the most
beautiful woman I had ever seen.  But that was before I metyou!"

The woman looked into Kelly's face, and Kelly could see her tears
flowing again.  The woman said softly, "My husband died in
prison.  He was a tailor and was taken away by the KGB.  We never
knew why.  He was just taken.  And you have given us freedom and
liberty!  There is no way to express my gratitude.  Of course,
there will be no charge for this gown."

Katrina was dumfounded.  "But that's silly!  You can't do that! 
You've worked for weeks on this dress.  You've spent a great deal
of money on material, on your seamstresses.  It's impossible!"

The woman just shook her head stubbornly.  "It is for my husband.
 For his memory."  Then she looked at Kelly and said, "Please
accept it.  It is a very small thing.  After all, it is only a
dress.  I hope you will wear it and like it a little.  It may
remind you of an old woman in Russia who loves you and thanks you
for what you have done.  Please!"

Kelly took the woman in her arms and hugged her.  The woman was
short and stocky with plain features.  It was obvious that
accepting the dress meant a great deal to her.  Kelly held her
and could feel the wetness of her tears.  She held her and said,
"Thank you!  This is the most magnificent dress I have ever seen.
 When I was a prisoner I was not allowed to wear clothes.  My
body was constantly beaten and bloody.  I never dreamed I would
ever wear a dress like this.  Thank you so very much!"

Three days later Kelly was walking alone down the center aisle of
St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow now reconsecrated as a church. 
She carried flowers ahead of the bride and smiled at the people
standing on both sides of the center aisle.  Looking at the altar
she saw Mike standing beside Kevin and the bishop who was
presiding at the ceremony.  She reached the altar and moved
aside.  She looked back down the aisle and saw Katrina walking up
on her father's arm.  When she reached the altar, Kelly drew back
Katrina's veil and stood aside as the ceremony began.

At the point in the ceremony at which the bishop would normally
have addressed the people, he stood aside and asked Kelly to
speak.  She went to the microphone and began speaking in her
flawless Russian.  "Ladies and gentlemen, we are here this
morning to witness the marriage of my dear friend Katrina Solov
and my friend and aide, Kevin Murphy.  As many of you know, this
has been a strange courtship.  Perhaps there is a lesson for all
of us.  When Katrina met Kevin for the first time, she was a
prisoner of war and he was serving as my aide.  From enemies they
have become lovers, and now they are about to become man and
wife.

"I met Katrina through her father, Field Marshall Mikhail Solov,
now president of the Republic of Russia.  I, too, was a prisoner.
 Although a civilian, I was imprisoned by the KGB in Germany when
the school I was attending was overrun.  President Solov
befriended me when I was a prisoner.  Subsequently, I escaped. 
When I next met Marshall Solov, we were able to bring the war to
a speedy conclusion and to bring liberty to the Russian people.

"When I was a prisoner, I thought only of escape, revenge and
then suicide.  My life was over.  When I escaped, I met Michael
Callahan, the best man in the wedding today.  Mike and I are soon
to be married ourselves.  Kevin has agreed to be the best man,
and Katrina will be my matron of honor.  I don't wish to become
maudlin, but good things can come out of bad.

"I sincerely hope that our two peoples can learn to live together
in friendship as I know Katrina and Kevin will be living together
in love.  Will you join me in wishing them well?"

Kelly stepped down from the speaker's rostrum and took her place
with the bridal party.  As she did she was startled by the
increasing volume of sound rising from within the cathedral.  She
realized that everyone in the cathedral had risen and was
applauding.  The sound became thunderous until it finally faded
and quiet returned.

Kelly watched as Kevin and Katrina ran down the aisle amid the
cheers of the well wishers.  She followed on Mike's arm.

The reception following was held in the Kremlin palace.  When she
reached Katrina standing with her father, Solov gave her a big
hug and a kiss and said, "Kelly, that was a lovely speech you
gave today.  Looking around I'm convinced there is more joy here
in the Kremlin than there has been in over seventy years.  Thank
you so much!"

The next day Kelly and Mike were asked to attend a meeting with
Solov.  Katrina and Kevin had left the previous evening on their
honeymoon.  A car picked them up and took them to one of the
blocky styleless buildings that the Soviet government had built
in such numbers for its countless functionaries.  There they were
shown into a well-appointed conference room.  Mike and Kelly
looked at each other not knowing what to expect.  After a few
moments they were joined by Mikhail Solov and then by a large
group of men and a few women who looked like academicians.

Solov introduced Kelly to the group.  In this case appearances
were accurate: they were academic economists.  Solov opened the
meeting by addressing himself to Kelly and Mike.  "Kelly, I'm
afraid your reputation may have overwhelmed you.  It seems that
we are determined to have free markets here in Russia, but we
don't know how to do it.  I told my learned friends that you only
have a high-school diploma, but they asked if you would meet with
them anyway.  I think there are some questions they would like to
ask.

One of the scholars spoke up.  "General, we wish to have free
markets.  But how can we be sure the right things will be in the
markets?"

Kelly looked at Mike and grinned.  He looked back at her,
puzzled.  He shrugged as she rose from her chair and said, "Over
100 years ago in my country we were opening the West.  Mostly it
was dry country but there were rivers the wagon trains had to
cross.  An interesting thing happened.  Wherever there was a
river crossing, there would be someone with a tent and a barrel
selling whiskey."

Grinning at Mike, she said, "My fiance is Irish.  Many Irishmen
came over in the 1840's and 1850's.  They fought in our Civil
War, and many of them helped to build the transcontinental
railroad.  They just kept pushing the railroad track across the
country.  As they went, their camps moved forward with them.  In
every camp there were saloons, dance halls, and gambling parlors.
 They were not provided by the railroad.  How did they get there?
 Why was there always a man selling liquor at the river
crossings?  Because money could be made, and no permissions were
necessary.  All it took was someone with an idea and a little
money to get started.

"What did the government do?  Mostly, it just stayed out of the
way.  How about prices?  Typically, they were high.  On the other
hand, costs were high, too.  And there was danger.  All of this
gave rise to high prices to help offset the high costs.  What if
prices were too high?  That was easy, too.  Competition would
open up, selling the same thing at lower prices or a better
product -- prettier girls, for example -- at the same price," she
said with a smile.

"All the government has to do is make sure competition is fair. 
By that I mean, the government shouldn't protect the first
merchant from the second simply because the man arrived first. 
The fact of the matter is no one knows what the 'correct' price
is.  Think about it for a moment.  You could not list for me all
the items -- goods and labor -- that exist in your economy, let
alone all the factors affecting the costs of each, and least of
all a set of equations to link all of these costs and prices
together.  Yet the market does it all automatically."

Mike looked at her and winked.  He whispered, "Wow!" andgrinned.

Solov looked at her and smiled.  He asked, "Kelly, what should
the government do?...  With agriculture, for example?"

"Just make sure the necessary infrastructure is in place, and
stand back.  In other words, make sure a farmer has roads to use
to get his produce to market.  Make sure the railroads work.  And
make sure the farmer gets clear title to his land!  That's very
important.  And that's about all."

The discussion continued.  It was obvious that the economists
were troubled.  Finally, one said, "General, how do we know the
market will produce the correct answers?"

Kelly smiled at him and replied, "Because you don't have any
choice.  When you say 'correct answer,' I'll reply to you the
market won't.  First, the answer is constantly changing.  The
first farmer to get new potatoes to market gets a high price. 
Within a few days as the harvest progresses and more farmers are
selling potatoes, the price drops: the supply has increased.  But
beyond that, you rely on the market because it's more nearly
correct than anything else!"

The discussion continued, and finally the economists gave up. 
They prepared a very short list of government actions, primarily
in terms of what behavior the government would seek to prevent:
market sharing, barriers to market entry, and so forth, but also
including ownership of the farm land.  Finally, they left with
smiles on their faces.

Solov beamed at Kelly and said, "My golden daughter has educated
the brilliant economists!"  He drove Mike and Kelly to the
airport.  On the way he asked, "When is your wedding going to
be?"

Kelly gave Solov a kiss and said, "In about six weeks, Uncle
Mischa.  Do you think you will be able to attend?  It will be in
New York, of course."

"Of course I will.  In fact, I brought the subject up with my
cabinet, and they insisted I attend.  I can couple it with a
speech to the UN which will put everyone to sleep -- possibly
including myself."  He looked at the young people and asked,
"Where are you going now?  Back to New York?"

"No," Kelly replied, "we have orders to report to the Pentagon. 
I think Mike is about to get his stars.  At least, I hope he
will."

They boarded a special Air Force plane and were soon in the air
on a polar route direct to Washington.Chapter 18

The President was addressing a special session of both houses of
Congress.  Normally, he addressed a joint session once a year to
report on the State of the Union.  It is very rare otherwise.  If
it does happen, it is normally reserved for most serious matters
such as declarations of war and major national crises.  This
special address was scheduled for eight o'clock in the evening. 
The TV networks were carrying the speech live, although there was
no advance word regarding its subject matter.

The President was introduced by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives in whose chamber the joint session was being
held.  It was obvious from the good cheer and fellowship that,
even though the networks didn't know what the President was going
to say, the Congressional leadership did and approved of it in
advance.  From the joviality on the podium, whatever the subject
was, it was not a national crisis.  Moreover, even before
starting his address it was clear that the President's proposal
had bipartisan support.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have asked you to grant me the favor of
addressing both houses of Congress this evening.  I have a
problem that I believe you can help me with.  Unlike so many
others, this problem is neither life-threatening nor does its
solution require multi-year appropriations of billions of
dollars.  The problem is one of appropriate recognition for
extraordinary service to our Country.  I intend to tell you a
series of stories and then propose a course of action to you.

"First, there is a captain in Army Special Forces.  This captain
singlehandedly stopped the Russian advance in the recent war by
blowing up the bridge across the River Weser and, as a
by-product, nearly destroyed the last intact first-line Soviet
armored division left on the Western Front.  The captain also
wiped out a Soviet patrol of ten men using a sniper rifle.  Later
the officer was wounded and evacuated back to England.  The
captain was awarded the Medal of Honor for the bridge, the Silver
Star for the patrol, and the Purple Heart for the wounds in
action.

"Then there is an army major.  The major went through Special
Forces training in Quantico in command of a training class.  The
major insisted that the class would set records that would last
at the school.  The class set records in every category
maintained by the school.  The major, more or less as an
afterthought, set every personal record the school has.

"The major was then sent to England to prepare for the Allied
assault against the Warsaw pact troops.  No one at headquarters
could figure out how such an assault could be successfully
launched because of the Russians' very creative use of a mobile
reserve.  To make this work the Soviet front line is kept a bit
thin.  At several points along the line there are concentrations
of artillery and armor within reach of any point along its
assigned sector.  As soon as an attack begins, the Soviets would
allow the attacker to penetrate and then use their reserves to
smash the spearhead while the front-line troops attack on both
flanks.  The major figured out how to neutralize this tactic. 
The major received the Legion of Merit for planning the attack.

"Then there is an Army lieutenant colonel.  The colonel first
extended the major's plans to exploit the breakthrough, then
personally took out the Soviet reserve command post the major had
identified.  Our attack roared through the Russian front lines
and completely smashed the Soviet troops.  The colonel was
wounded but personally killed eighty of the enemy and held the
position until relieved by the 82nd Airborne Division.

"Incidentally, we later learned that we suffered fewer casualties
in the breakthrough than we expect to have in a field training
exercise.  In one armored unit in the spearhead the only casualty
was a soldier who sprained his ankle jumping down from his tank
after the battle was over.  The lieutenant colonel was awarded
the Medal of Honor for the eighty troops killed, the
Distinguished Service Cross for the planning, and the Purple
Heart for wounds suffered in action.  Nothing has been done to
reward the officer for successfully carrying out the mission of
destroying the command structure of the Soviet reserve forces
that permitted the attack to succeed.

"Then there is an Army colonel.  This colonel, after the
successes I just mentioned, trained a number of LRRP teams to do
the same thing the lieutenant colonel had done as we pressed
forward with our attack.  The result was that we chopped up the
Warsaw Pact forces while sustaining virtually no casualties of
our own.  This colonel also opened negotiations with Field
Marshal Mikhail Solov of the Russian Army.  Marshall Solov
defected to the West."

"Finally, there is an Army brigadier general.  This general met
Marshall Solov and engineered the surrender of the Warsaw Pact
forces.  The Soviet Politburo resigned _en masse_ and a new
government of the Russian Republics was created.  The general has
been awarded a new decoration by Russia, the Gold Cross of the
Republic, the highest award that exists in Republican Russia, as
its tribute to the exploit.  Our government has done nothing...
yet."

The President smiled quizzically at the congressmen.  "Ladies and
gentlemen, I ask you?  What can we do?  You see, as some of you
already know, the captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel,
and brigadier general are the same person.  These are the
exploits of a single person and all took place within the last
six months.

"That person is a young girl named Kelly Jackson!  Kelly now has
two Medals of Honor, two Distinguished Service Crosses including
one for valor, the Legion of Merit, the Silver Star and two
Purple Hearts.  In addition, she holds Great Britain's Victoria
Cross, the highest award for valor the United Kingdom can award.
She holds the Croix de Guerre, the highest award for valor given
by France.

"Germany has reactivated for her the Golden Order of the Knights
Cross.  It is the highest award for gallantry the Federal
Republic of Germany can ever award.  There is also the small
matter of the receiving the keys to the German Federal Republic.
Kelly is given credit for reunifying Germany, helping them
achieve a German dream of over forty years standing.

"Finally, she has just received the Gold Cross of the Republic,
created for her by the Republic of the Russias.

"We spend a great deal on defense.  With Kelly, I think we've
spent more on the ammunition she's expended than on her salary. 
You see, she has almost no seniority.  She still hasn't been in
the Army a year yet.  She is now a major general.  The question
is how do we recognize a person who almost singlehanded won a
major war... with negligible casualties on both sides... and then
won the peace?

"For a solution to this puzzle I propose the creation of a new
award, the Congressional and Presidential Gold Cross of Liberty.
This award will be a permanent addition to our military awards
structure.  It can only be awarded on the personal recommendation
of the President and requires a formal vote of both houses of
Congress.  This will become the senior United States award for
valor and distinguished military service.

"I propose Kelly Jackson as the first recipient of this medal.  I
hope you will support me and grant to Major General Kelly Jackson
the recognition she so richly deserves.  Thank you."

The President did not leave the chamber.  Instead he was offered
a seat on the podium.  Following his address the chairmen of the
House and Senate Armed Services Committees gave short speeches
formally introducing the legislation.  While still in joint
session, the two houses individually passed the legislation
creating the Cross of Liberty and making the first award to Major
General Kelly Jackson.  The two pieces of legislation were passed
by the two houses of Congress within a few minutes.  Finally, the
President signed the legislation that had already been drafted
for his signature in anticipation of its passage.  He returned to
the rostrum.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen."  He grinned broadly at the two
houses, continuing, "Now why can't it always be this easy?" 
There was a round of laughter from the Congress.

The President continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great
pride to introduce to you Major General Kelly Jackson, United
States Army, whom you have just recognized by voting to award her
the first Gold Cross of Liberty.  Before bestowing the award,
though, I should give you some background.  Kelly is only
nineteen years old.  Until a few days ago, she didn't have a
high-school diploma.  Nevertheless, she won the war with her
bravery and with her brains.

"It seems she was reading Soviet armored doctrine... in the
original Russian.  It was never translated into English.  She
listened in to the Russian command post where the general
commanding the reserve forces at our point of attack was located.
 Kelly waited for him to give the orders to his front-line
commanders to fall back away from our assault and then took him
out along with the generals commanding his five reserve divisions
before the order to move into their blocking and attack positions
could be given.  She then proceeded to knock off anyone who
looked like he might be interested in taking command.

"Finally, there is no doubt about one thing:  Kelly Jackson is
the most beautiful general in any army in the world."  The
President turned to the side and said, "Kelly, will you please
come forward?"

Kelly walked out on the podium wearing her dress blues.  She had
been asked not to wear the Medal of Honor which normally is worn
around the neck with the dress uniform.  She saluted the
President smartly as an aide came over with a jewelers box.  The
President spoke into the microphone, "To Major General Kelly
Jackson:  For exemplary military service so far beyond the bounds
of expectation it leaves your countrymen speechless.  For winning
a war, and winning a peace.  For saving countless thousands of
lives.  For sparing a continent from the destruction of modern
war.  For courage and bravery that has never been seen before. 
We, the Congress of the United States, acting on the
recommendation of the President, present you the highest award
your grateful countrymen can bestow, the Gold Cross of Liberty!"

The President hung the cross, made of 22 carat gold, around her
neck.  The broad ribbon from which it hung was gold with a single
red stripe.  He kissed Kelly on the cheek and said softly, "I'm
looking forward to attending your wedding.  Thank you for
remembering to invite me!"

Kelly went to the rostrum and looked out at the sea of faces. 
She could see the bright lights of the television cameras as she
began to speak.  "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.  I
don't really know what to say.  I consider myself the luckiest
person on the face of the earth.  Less than a year ago I was a
prisoner of the KGB and was contemplating suicide.  There was
nothing for me to live for.  I escaped and met the man who is
soon to honor me above all women by making me his wife.  I met a
Russian general when I was a prisoner.  He befriended me and
helped me as much as he could.  By luck, working together we were
able to bring the war to a successful close.

"In the last few months I have met some of the finest military
minds the world has ever produced: General Samuel Adams, General
Edward Carlson, General James Ames.  There are many, many more. 
I am here this evening to say that you, and the American people
you represent, have every reason to be very proud of these men. 
They have served you well.

"It is said that defense isn't cheap.  It's not.  But it's not
the money, it's the men.  Were it not for Adams, Carlson, Ames,
and many others like them, I would not be here tonight.  I would
be dead.  Their troops took me out of a series of deadly
situations.  You should be very proud.  I know I am very proud to
know them and to have had the privilege of serving under them and
with them.  Thank you for this great honor."

Kelly executed a perfect salute to the Congress, turned on her
heel and marched off the podium.  As she turned, the congressmen
came out of their seats and began to applaud and cheer as she
left the hall.

In the TV newsrooms, there was consternation and chagrin.  Here
was the biggest story of the war and no one in the media had ever
heard of it.  Instantly assignments were made.  As Kelly left the
chamber by a side door she was mobbed by reporters.  Mike came up
to her along with a phalanx of Capitol police and Secret Service
men the President had made available to guard her.  Everyone was
screaming questions.

Mike grinned at Kelly who winked back at him.  She yelled,
"Quiet!"  The news people were startled into silence.

Kelly looked around at the group and then said, "I will make a
deal with you.  I will spend time with two reporters.  You can
make whatever deals you want with them.  I will be available
until my wedding which is in about four weeks, and then we will
see what happens.  I am selecting Chris Collins and Bill Carlson.
 I will see the rest of you later.  Chris and Bill, are you
interested?" she asked.

Christine Collins was a top-level Washington reporter with one of
the TV networks.  Bill Carlson was a bylined writer with a
conservative magazine who also wrote a syndicated newspaper
column.  Chris was predictably liberal while Bill was as
predictably conservative.

Bill was the first to respond, "General, I would love to take you
up on that."  He turned to Chris standing across from him and
said, "How about it, Chris?  Are you game?"

"Hell, yes, I'm game!" she replied, "Let's go!"

The foursome made their way out of the Capitol building.  Mike
asked Chris and Bill about their clothes, and then the four of
them headed off in a taxi to Chris's apartment in Georgetown. 
After getting her things together, they were waiting in front of
the apartment house for a taxi.  Suddenly, Kelly was grabbed
around the neck from behind and felt the point of a knife against
her throat.  She sensed three other knife-wielding black men
around her.

Without thinking, Kelly grabbed the arm around her throat with
one hand and drove her elbow back into the gut of the man holding
her.  She spun and moved while still gripping the man's wrist. 
She heard the crack of the wrist bone breaking and then the awful
sound of his neck cracking on the sidewalk.  Meanwhile, Mike was
in action against two others.  The fourth, apparently the leader,
flipped open a long-bladed knife and started coming at Kelly with
the intention of slashing her face.  She sidestepped, causing the
knife to just miss.  Then she grabbed her assailant, rolled over
backwards with her feet in his stomach and kicked upwards while
still on her back.  The man went flying.  She jumped to her feet
but saw that the other two attackers were down on the ground for
good.

Chris and Bill had been standing dumbstruck.  The whole event had
taken only a matter of seconds.  One instant they were being
threatened with knives; in the next instant the assailants were
all on the ground.  Bill grabbed Chris's hand and ran back into
the apartment to call the police.  As they disappeared inside, an
old Pontiac station wagon came careening around the corner at the
end of the block.  The street was narrow.  With cars parked,
there was only room for a single lane of traffic.

Mike picked up a gun that had fallen from the pocket of one of
the attackers from the sidewalk while Kelly drew her automatic
from its waistband holster in the small of her back.  They could
see what appeared to be the barrel of an assault rifle sticking
out the window of the oncoming car, the pickup car for the four
assailants.  It slowed and the occupants saw for the first time
that their comrades were on the ground.  Shots were fired from
the assault rifle.

As the gunner leaned his head out the window, Kelly fired.  The
gunner's weapon would have fallen to the street but it was caught
by its sling.  Kelly sighted at the driver and squeezed off two
quick shots.  The first shattered the windshield while the second
hit the driver in the head.  The car swerved, still moving fast,
smashed into a parked car and then burst into flames.  Mike could
see two passengers trapped in the back seat as the car's gas tank
exploded.

Another car, this one a two-seat Camaro, roared up going the
wrong way on the one-way street, approaching them from their
right.  Mike saw a handgun being held out the passenger-side
window.  Using the recovered weapon, he opened fire.  His bullets
shattered the windshield and hit both the driver and the gunman
beside him.  With the driver dead, the car crashed into the
flaming wreckage of the station wagon and also burst intoflames.

Mike held out his arm and pulled Kelly close.  As they stood
there, they heard the sounds of approaching police sirens.  Kelly
turned and asked Mike to brush her off -- her dress uniform was a
mess.  She said she was pleased that carrying the automatic in
the small of her back had become second nature.

Moments later the first of several squad cars squealed to a stop
and they could hear the distant sound of fire apparatus
approaching.  Mike moved Kelly back farther away from the two
flaming cars as it seemed likely that the parked car into which
the two had crashed would catch fire, too.

The first police officer to arrive was nonplused.  He saw two
Army officers, one a colonel and the other a beautiful young
female major general.  Both were holding firearms.  There were
four bodies on the ground and two flaming cars across the street.
 The officer didn't know what to do, so he returned to his
cruiser and radioed for more help.

By this time, the first of the fire apparatus had arrived. 
Firemen were able to contain the fire before it ignited the
parked car, while police radioed for the morgue wagon to take
away the bodies.  Then attention was turned to the men lying on
the sidewalk.  Kelly went from one to the next feeling for a
pulse at the carotid artery.  There was none.  All four men were
dead.  She told the police sergeant who had just arrived on the
scene, and he called for the lab people and homicide.

For the first time, Mike and Kelly looked around at the scene. 
It was only ten o'clock; it was a mild evening in November with
the temperature only in the fifties.  The street where Chris
lived was quiet and tree-shaded.  The houses, now almost all
converted into apartments, appeared to date from the early
nineteenth century.  Mike thought it was far too nice a
neighborhood for the violence that had just occurred.  He took
Kelly to the stone steps in front of Chris's building where they
both sat down and waited for developments.  As they waited, Chris
and Bill came out of the apartment.  Bill was carrying two coats
that he slipped over Mike and Kelly.

Kelly looked up at Chris.  Even though the light was poor, the
reporter appeared to be as white as a sheet.  Kelly smiled at her
and stood up.  She said, "Chris, I think you'd better sit down
before you fall down.  You look like you're about to faint."

Bill Carlson helped her to the steps, and she allowed herself to
sit.  She shook her head slowly and said softly, "What happened,
Kelly?  I'm supposed to be a trained reporter, but I just saw a
blur."  The girl grinned wryly and added, "Where's the
slow-motion instant replay when you really need it?"

Bill said, "I seem to recall the President saying this evening
that, as a major, you led a unit that set every record there was
at Quantico and set every personal record yourself.  Was unarmed
combat one of the areas?"

Mike looked up at Bill and said, "You got that right.  We're
sorry, folks.  Things got a little out of hand.  There were four
of them, two of us and two of you.  There are some things you can
do to ease up, but they're tricky.  This wasn't the time to get
tricky.  We'll wait for the crime lab and the autopsies to find
out what happened.  Kel, I don't really know what happened to
your second guy.  He seemed to be the leader, and you weren't
using a lethal throw.  Do you have any ideas?"

"I don't, Mike.  But if I had to make a guess, though, it would
be that he fell on his open knife.  He's on his face, so we won't
know until the body is moved."

The area was now mobbed with official vehicles.  Police had
cordoned off the block at the corner where the station wagon had
come around and there were now portable floodlights set up that
lighted the street like daylight.  The residents were beginning
to come out of their apartments to look around.  Although
frightened by the gunfire, they were reassured by all of the
uniforms in evidence.

A police captain came up and introduced himself.  He recognized
Chris Collins from her TV news reporting and saluted.  Chris
introduced him to Kelly and Mike.

When the captain heard, "General Kelly Jackson," his lips formed
an "O." He saluted smartly and said, "General, I'm very happy to
meet you.  I'm sorry it is under such circumstances.  Could you
please tell me what happened?"

Kelly stood up and recounted the events following the award
ceremony at the Capitol.  Photographs had been taken and the
coroner's people were about to start removing the bodies.  As
they lifted Kelly's second assailant, they saw a pool of blood
under his body.  Kelly's guess had been correct:  He had been
killed by falling on his own knife.  The first died of a broken
neck when he hit the sidewalk.  The first of Mike's assailants
also had a broken neck.  Mike had chopped him on the neck with
the edge of his hand.  The other had been hit in the nose with
the heel of Mike's hand which drove the nose cartilage up and
into the brain.  Of the six men in the two cars, four had been
killed by gunfire while the two in the back seat of the station
wagon had been killed in the fire.

The small group was standing by the steps to the building when a
plainclothes detective came up to the police captain.  He
identified the victims as the leadership of one of the most
vicious street gangs in Washington.  "Captain, the files we have
on nine of these ten probably occupy at least two file drawers. 
I guess the tenth was one of the boys moving up to the
leadership.  It looks like he failed the promotion exam."

The police drove the foursome to their hotel.  Because they were
going to be in Washington for several weeks, they had an
efficiency suite with a small kitchen and two bedrooms.  After
entering the apartment they collapsed with Chris still shaking in
the aftermath of the violence.  Mike noticed that Bill was quiet
but seemed unperturbed.

Kelly went to a cabinet and took out a bottle of very special
cognac that had arrived that day as a gift from the French
government.  She poured four drinks and passed them out.  Chris
took a big drink, handling the cognac as if it was water.  She
choked on it but quickly recovered.  Kelly noticed that the
cognac was doing its work.  Color was returning to her cheeks. 
She refilled the girl's glass and they sat and sipped quietly.

Finally Chris smiled and said, "I think I'll live.  What do we do
now?  I thought I counted four of us and two bedrooms.  What do
we do for sleeping arrangements?"

Kelly smiled and said, "I guess it's pretty clear Mike and I
sleep together."  She smiled as she remembered.  "We slept
together the first night we met and virtually every night since.
The exceptions were the nights he spent in the hospital."

Mike grinned and said, "I remember waking up in a hospital in
England after being hit.  I heard Kelly saying, 'My poor baby!' 
I thought she meant me.  Then I realized what she had said was,
'My poor babies!'  It seems she's concerned because her babies'
father has a habit of walking into any stray piece of flying
metal in the area, and their mother was on her way to becoming a
thirty-year-old high school dropout!"  He pulled Kelly close and
kissed her warmly on the lips.  "Some dropout!"

Chris had been listening to the story with her face showing
increasing consternation.  "Is that true, Kelly?  He's
exaggerating, isn't he?"

Kelly smiled and said softly, "I wish he were, but he's not. 
Actually, the only reason I graduated from high school was the
Army Surgeon General sent a letter to my school.  He said I had
done a pretty good job of putting Callahan back together."

"Right!" Mike continued, "Coupled, of course, with a threat from
the President of the German Federal Republic officially to change
the German language to conform to the way Kelly speaks it!"

He kissed her again, with more passion this time.  Kelly got up
and took off her uniform jacket and returned to Mike's arms.  She
pulled her shirt out from the waistband of her skirt and
carefully put his hand under it and on her breast.  Then she
snuggled close to him.

"Actually, it's not a joke," Mike continued.  "The first time
Kelly removed a bullet from my leg.  When I got to a doctor in
England, he looked at it and asked me if I wanted a new Band-Aid.
 The second time she operated to remove a bullet from my back. 
Kelly is annoyed because she did such a beautiful job of
stitching it up there's no scar at all.  The reason she's annoyed
is she was planning on showing it to our children and telling
them that that's where Mommy carved up Daddy like a turkey, and
it wasn't even Thanksgiving!

"In all seriousness, though, she is an incredibly skilled
surgeon.  I'm not kidding when I said I would have rather had her
remove the shrapnel from my arm.  I think she would have done a
better job of it than the surgeons did.  And you know what?  The
surgeon who operated agrees with me!"

Chris Collins had been looking at the couple with dismay.  Kelly
was sitting on the sofa to Mike's left.  Her head was resting on
his shoulder and his left hand was under her blouse, obviously
cupping her left breast.  Her right hand was outside her blouse
holding his hand in position.  Chris said, "Kelly, that's
disgusting!  Have you no sense of your own personhood?  He's
fondling you!"

Kelly opened her eyes part way and looked at Chris.  "What's
personhood?" she asked softly while her body writhed in response
to Mike's stroking.  "Chris, I owe my life to Mike.  I love him
more than life itself.  If I thought he wanted to take me now, I
would be bare on the floor with my legs spread in about half a
second.

"When I was a prisoner I was raped more times than I can count. 
I guess it must have averaged about fifteen or twenty times a day
every day for nearly a year.  I remember the first time.  It was
on the stage at the school the day the KGB arrived.  I was a
virgin then, but I was taken over thirty times.  My body has been
shredded by whips.

"In spite of that, I'm convinced that Mike really does love me. 
Chris, I'm a woman!  I love to have him inside me.  Failing that,
I love to feel his big hand gripping my boob.  I can't wait to
carry his babies inside me!  It's what I was made for.

"I think it was Mikhail Solov who finally figured it out.  He
said the only reason I did some of the things I did was to try to
take care of Mike... to try to get him home in one piece so we
could be married.  And you know what?  He's right!"

Kelly allowed her eyes to close, but continued softly, "Chris,
it's only as a concession to you and Bill and your sensibilities
that I still have my blouse on at all.  Normally I would be bare
to the waist right now and reveling in the feeling of Mike
caressing my body.  I hope this doesn't upset you too much."

Bill Carlson spoke up for the first time.  "Kelly, it doesn't
upset me at all.  Personally, I think it's neat!  You are a very
handsome couple.  And I want to thank you both for what you did
tonight.  I was just standing there like a bump on a log when you
two exploded.  I agree with Chris about one thing, though: I
would love to see a slow-motion instant replay."

He turned to Chris and said, "Chris, in answer to your question
of a while ago, there are two beds in the bedroom.  As a
concession to your sex, I'll give you the choice.  But make up
your mind fast!  I'm going to bed."Chapter 19

The next morning Chris Collins put on a bathrobe over her pajamas
and went out to the suite's kitchenette.  Kelly was standing at
the counter watching the automatic coffee maker make coffee. 
When Chris entered, Kelly looked at her and asked, "Did you sleep
well?"

Chris grimaced at Kelly and replied, "As a matter of fact, no. 
I've never heard such noises coming from the next bedroom.  How
are _you_ feeling?"

"Absolutely wonderful!  Chris, I can hardly wait to be married. 
Then it will all be legal.  Actually, I spent a wonderful night,"
she answered.

Chris looked at Kelly and said quietly, "This gives me a chance
to speak to you alone, anyway.  How are you feeling after last
night?  I'm amazed you could sleep at all."

"Those weren't the first dead bodies I've ever seen, Chris.  I'm
sorry things got out of hand.  On the other hand, better them
than us.  I think we happened to meet up with a group of
sociopaths.  They are some of the guys we've lost.  It's largely
due to our own fault, I suppose.  We should have come down hard
on those guys years ago when they were still kids, but we're
dealing with a juvenile justice system whose very name is an
oxymoron.  There's no justice in it.  We're so preoccupied with
protecting the rights of the accused, we've completely lost track
of the rights of society."

As she was speaking, she had seen Chris's eyes opening wide.  She
continued, "Chris, I think the problem is a total lack of
historic perspective.  The first organized police force in the
world only came into existence in London in the 1840's.  In the
scheme of history, that might as well have been yesterday.  Here
in the United States men routinely went around armed in most
places until the turn of the century.  I think there's been a
breakdown in the social contract.

"Let's face it:  Organized police forces said to the citizenry,
in effect, 'You need not be armed.  We're armed, and we will
protect your life and property.'  Do you honestly think the
police are delivering on their side of the contract now?  Do you
really feel the police are protecting your life and property?"

"But Kelly, surely you're not suggesting people should go around
armed?  They would kill each other!" Chris exclaimed.

By now the coffee had finished percolating.  Kelly poured two
cups, brought them to the small table, and sat down.  She said,
"Why would they kill each other?  Are you suggesting that gun
control works?  That violent crime has been reduced?"

"That's not fair, Kelly.  Gun control just hasn't been made
effective enough," Chris protested.

"How about control of dangerous drugs?  How about the late
unlamented liquor prohibition amendment?  Were they effective
enough?  I've seen no sign of a reduction in drug use.  National
prohibition was a disaster in spite of major efforts to control
alcohol.  Why should you expect gun control to work any better?"

Chris looked at Kelly with a puzzled expression on her face. 
"Kelly, is my information correct?  You're not yet twenty years
old?"

Kelly smiled wryly and replied, "Chris, you're looking at the
world's only known major general who can't legally buy a drink! 
I'm afraid so.  But why do you ask?"

"Because I can't understand you.  You're not twenty years old,
yet you're apparently more knowledgeable about a great many
things than I am.  I have two degrees and I'm a news
professional.  Nevertheless, you're so much more worldly than I
am.  Could I change the subject?" Chris asked.  "The President in
his speech last night referred to being wounded in action.  Could
I see?"

Kelly shook her head and said, "You can look, but there's really
not much to see."  She slipped off her terry-cloth robe and
showed Chris where she had been nicked by shrapnel on the
shoulder.  There was only a tiny, nearly invisible scar.  Chris
looked over Kelly's body and then saw the faint scars left by her
repeated whippings.  Lightly, she ran her fingertips over the
marks.

"What are these?" she asked softly, afraid to say what they
appeared to be.

"Oh," Kelly replied matter-of-factly, "that's where I was
whipped.  I've almost forgotten about them.  The marks have
almost completely disappeared."

Chris gave an involuntary shudder.  "My God, you really were
beaten, weren't you?"

Kelly smiled and said, "I think I said so last night.  I was very
serious.  I live for Mike Callahan.  My goal in life is to try to
make him as happy as I possibly can."

"But that's not right!  You're a heroine.  You're a model for all
young American women.  You took on men and beat them at their own
game!"

Kelly shook her head sadly.  "Chris, you just don't understand,
do you?  How do you think I've achieved what little I have?"

"Because you're smart and you're tough," the reporter replied.

"Wrong!  Because I accepted help from anywhere I could get it.  I
don't compete.  I'm just trying to do a job.  My job is to keep
Mike Callahan alive.  There's probably more.  I'm female.  I love
to associate with men.  I guess I'm reasonably attractive, and I
guess I send out sexy signals.  My love for Mike shows."

She grinned at Chris and added, "Chris, the real reason, I
suspect, is that I have a well-fucked look.  I don't really know.
 I do know I've seen it with friends.  They just move easier. 
They're more relaxed and look it.  They just glow with happiness.
 And they're a hell of a lot easier to live with, too."  She
looked at Chris and said, "You've never had an orgasm, haveyou?"

Chris reacted as if she had been slapped.  "What a thing to say!
Of course I have.  Lots of times!"

Kelly smiled and shook her head sadly.  "No, Chris, you haven't.
If you had, you wouldn't react the way you just did.  You just
couldn't possibly.  Do you know what?  You remind me of a person
listening to a conversation about foreign foods.  Our taste
vocabulary is very limited, by the way.  You hear the words, you
know what the words mean, but you have no sense of what the food
would really taste like.  You've never experienced it yourself.

"I think it's the same way with sex.  You may have heard a girl
talk about cuming, how her pelvis takes on a life of its own --
how she totally loses control."  Kelly smiled warmly.  "In my own
case I often pass out.  I honestly do.  I lose consciousness.  I
guess it's a sensory overload, like a circuit breaker tripping
out.

"Last night was fairly normal.  I guess I must have cum about
five or six times.  Mike and I were pretty tired so I think we
just collapsed in the middle one time.  But you know what?  I
always wake up the same way.  I sleep on his right and shape my
body as close to his as I can.  He has his arm around me and his
hand cups my right boob.  In the morning, if I wake up first, I
squeeze his hand.  If he awakens first, he squeezes my boob. 
Then we make love, slowly and sleepily."

She grimaced, but her eyes were glowing with happiness.  "This
morning the bum takes me, I soar to my peak, and then collapse. 
He gives me this shit-eating grin and goes back to sleep.  Chris,
you've never experienced that, have you?"

Chris didn't answer directly.  Instead she said, "He squeezes
_your breast?_  That could cause breast cancer!"

Kelly smiled and said, "Chris, you won't ever understand!  Breast
cancer?  Chris, if Mike wanted it, I would cut off my breast and
cook it for him.  I really would."

While they were talking, Kelly had been cooking breakfast.  She
had made bacon and a beautiful western omelette.  She put the
food on two plates and said, "Let's eat.  I'm hungry."

Chris just looked at the food on her plate.  "What's this?" she
asked.

"It's breakfast.  What does it look like?" Kelly replied.

"But... but it's got cholesterol, and animal protein, and..." the
girl protested.

Just then Bill Carlson appeared in the kitchen doorway and
sniffed appreciatively.  He picked up Chris's plate, took it to
the counter and started eating.

She looked at him in amazement.  "What in hell are you doing? 
That was mine!"

"True," Bill replied, "but as you said, it's loaded with
cholesterol and all that other bad stuff.  I would hate to see
you have problems like that."

He looked at Kelly and shook his head.  "Kelly, I would suggest
you offer Chris some rabbit food, but then I realized that
wouldn't work.  I doubt that, even if you had any, it would have
been grown under the proper organic conditions -- no pesticides
or herbicides -- and picked with union labor."

He grinned and said, "Kelly, you have no idea how hard it is to
be a liberal these days.  There's this ever-lengthening list of
things one must do and can't do.  It really complicates the
process of living."

When Bill had come in Kelly noticed two things about Chris. 
First, her face showed a flash of embarrassment; obviously she
was concerned that Bill had overheard at least a part of their
earlier conversation.  Second, she straightened her bathrobe and
sat up a little straighter in her chair causing her breasts to
appear more prominent.

A few moments later Mike appeared.  He took Kelly into his arms.
It was obvious to the others that Mike and Kelly didn't deal in
perfunctory kisses.  Chris could see that Kelly's eyes were
glazed as she leaned back, supported by Mike's arms.  There was a
glow on her face, and Chris heard her whisper, "Good morning, my
husband."

Chris felt a twinge as she watched the couple.  She started to
have doubts for the first time about things she thought she
believed in deeply.  Then she saw Kelly give Mike her brightest
smile and a quick kiss.  She poured him a cup of coffee and
turned to the stove to make another omelette.

Chris turned to Mike and said, "You have a hell of a nerve!  It's
your breakfast.  Why don't you cook it?"

Mike refused to take offense.  He just shook his head and smiled
at the reporter.  "Chris, I'm afraid you don't understand.  You
see, Kelly has a big investment in me.  She's saved my life about
five times now.  She long ago decided that she would be putting
her investment at serious risk if she allowed me to eat my own
cooking, let alone inflict it on anyone else.  As a matter of
fact, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that the sure sign
of Kelly wanting to get rid of me would be if she allows me to
cook.  That will mean she no longer cares if I poison myself." 
He looked at Kelly, now turning the omelette out of the pan, and
said, "Right, honey?"

"I told you he was smart," she said to Chris.  "He understands me
perfectly.  Of course, there are compensations.  He knows what
will happen if he has to eat his own cooking.  What he does is
keep me in a constant sexual daze so I don't even notice that I
am cooking.  That requires a certain amount of effort on his
part."

She turned to Mike and said, "Honey, I have an idea that grew out
of the events last night.  I was thinking of asking Ken and Mary
to report to Washington.  You know how the police sometimes use
stakeout teams?  How about if those two just walked around
residential Washington?"

Before Mike could reply, Chris said, "You couldn't do that!  It
would be entrapment."

Kelly just shook her head sadly and said, "Chris, with all due
respect: Bullshit!  Entrapment occurs when you cause someone to
do something he wouldn't normally do.  For example, let's say you
leave a large amount of currency in an open bag on the floor in a
public place.  If someone picks it up, that would be entrapment.
You pushed personal honesty pretty hard.  I'm talking about
having a young couple walk down the street in residential areas.
Under what conceivable legal theory would that be entrapment?"

Chris was on the defensive, but she held on.  "It would be an
irresistible temptation.  It wouldn't be fair!"

"Chris, honey, the only person to whom it would be 'an
irresistable temptation' would be to a predator such as we met
last night.  'T'would none of them be missed!'" She turned back
to Mike and said, "What do you think, honey?"

"I think it's a great idea.  I'll see about it right now."  He
left the kitchen and went to the sitting room to make a phone
call.  Mike came back shaking his head and grinning.  "It's all
set.  Incidentally, I just learned I've been selected for
brigadier general.  I'm the first in my West Point class.  Of
course we're all way behind some cute little high-school
dropout!"

Kelly gave him a congratulatory kiss and then stuck her tongue
out at him.  "I am _not_ a dropout!  I have my diploma!"

Chris asked about the day's plans.  Mike said that Kelly had a
date in Connecticut.  "Chris, I think you, particularly, will be
interested in what happens.  We'll be leaving from Andrews Air
Force Base in about two hours."

They dressed.  As they did, Kelly asked Mike, "Honey, now that
you're a general, you rate an aide.  Have you given it any
thought?"

Mike stopped what he was doing.  Kelly's question had taken him
completely by surprise.  Were it not for Kelly herself, he would
be the youngest general in the Army at the age of twenty-six. 
The idea of having an aide had never entered his mind.  Kelly
whispered in his ear.  He looked surprised for an instant,
grinned, and then kissed her.  "Darling, you don't know how
wonderful it is to have a brilliant wife!  I think it's a great
idea!"

They drove out to Andrews where an Air Force jet was waiting for
them.  They got aboard, the door was closed and the plane moved
out to the active runway.  The plane was a DC-9 in VIP
configuration.

Kelly grinned at Mike and bounced in her seat as the plane
taxied.  "Honey, this is definitely the way to go!"

As the plane taxied, a steward poured coffee for them.  After
they took off, they were served a breakfast snack.  The flight
was very short; soon they were landing at Bradley International
Airport.  After taxiing to the Air National Guard hangar, the
plane's engines were shut down.

A sergeant was standing by a car which was waiting for them as
they got off the plane.  He snapped his very best salute at Kelly
who returned it with a smile.  "General Jackson?  I'm Sergeant
Howard.  I've been detailed to drive you while you're in the
Hartford area."

They all got in the car, and Sgt. Howard drove off the apron, out
to the Interstate and then headed south towards Hartford.  Chris
asked where they were going, and Kelly replied that they were
going to the Smith & Wesson plant.  They pulled up at the door of
the administration building and Howard ran around the car to hold
the door for Kelly, again giving her a very snappy salute.  Kelly
returned it smartly.

As she passed close to him she whispered, "Sergeant Howard,
aren't you overdoing it just a bit?"  Her smile took away any
sting in her words.

Howard grinned back and replied in a whisper, "Normally, yes. 
For Kelly Jackson, hell no!"

Kelly walked in to the building's main entrance.  As soon as she
entered, the receptionist ran around the desk to greet Kelly with
her hand extended.  "General Jackson?  I'm Sandy Cartwright. 
Welcome to Smith & Wesson!  We're delighted you could come to see
us."

Kelly looked at the girl who, like Kelly was tall and slim. 
"Sandy, by any chance were you the girl they used to tailor my
vest?"  The girl blushed and shyly nodded her head.

Kelly took her in her arms and hugged her.  She then gave her a
warm kiss on the cheek and whispered, "Sandy, thank you for
saving my life!"  Stepping back she said in her normal tone of
voice, "I think Mr. Johnson is expecting us."

She looked at Sandy thoughtfully and then asked, "Would it be
possible for someone else to cover the desk for a while?  I would
very much like you to come along with us if you could."

The girl made a phone call, and a few moments later another girl
came out and took her place at the desk.  Sandy took them to the
executive floor and then to Johnson's office where they found him
standing at the doorway waiting for them.  After Kelly shook
hands and then introduced Mike, Bill, and Chris, she quickly
explained that she had learned Sandy Cartwright was the girl on
whom the vest had been shaped.  She wanted her to be with them
for the day.  Fred Johnson quickly agreed.

They sat down and Kelly opened a shopping bag she had brought
with her.  Taking her vest out, she held it up and said, "Mr.
Johnson, the real reason I came here today was to find out if you
have a reconditioning service.  This vest saved my life but it
took a bit of a beating in the process."

Kelly passed the vest to him along with the two spent bullets
that had been removed from it while she had been in the hospital
in England.  It was clear that Johnson had been warned.  He
whistled softly as he saw the bullet holes in the facing of the
vest.  He buzzed his secretary who came in and took the vest away
with her.  Fred Johnson smiled at her and said, "That's easy to
do.  Now, what would you like to do while you're here?"

Kelly smiled and said, "Would it be possible for me to speak to
your workers?  I feel I owe the people at Smith & Wesson a great
deal.  I would like to thank your people personally. 
Incidentally, I heard a rumor that serving as a human dummy for a
Kevlar vest is not the easiest thing in the world.  In fact,
rumor has it that it can be very painful.  Is that correct?"

Johnson nodded and Sandy Cartwright reddened.  Kelly looked at
Sandy and said, "Sandy, you sacrificed yourself for me, didn't
you?"

The girl was very pretty.  She appeared to be in her mid-twenties
and had the same beautiful figure Kelly did.  She said softly,
"It really wasn't that bad.  And I very much wanted to do it."

"Why?" Kelly asked.

The girl's head came up and Kelly could see tears forming in the
corners of her eyes.  She said, "Because my husband was killed
very early in the fighting.  I heard there was a woman officer
who was so important that the Supreme Commander himself was
looking for a flak vest for her.  I found out that my
measurements are the same as yours so it was simple."

By this time tears were coming to Kelly's eyes.  She said,
"Sandy, I'm so sorry!  I must have been a prisoner when your
husband was killed so I couldn't help him.  I think I helped
bring some other guys home, though.  Anyway, I hope so."  She
looked up at Johnson and said, "Could I speak to your workers?"

"Absolutely!" he replied.  "I was hoping you might.  We set up a
speaker's platform in the plant.  Unfortunately, it's pretty cold
or we would be doing it outside.  I hope you don't mind?"

"Don't be silly!  Of course not.  When do we do it?"

Johnson smiled and said, "Right now."

He led the way out to the plant floor and up on a temporary
speaker's platform that was obviously specially constructed for
the occasion.  The area in front of the platform was mobbed with
workers.  Johnson seated Kelly and the others behind him and then
went to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen!  I am very proud to welcome Major General
Kelly Jackson to Smith & Wesson this morning.  As most of you
know, General Jackson has just been awarded the first Gold Cross
of Liberty, the highest award for valor our country has.  Kelly
already has two Medals of Honor.  I think it's fair to say that
no person in military history has achieved so much in such a
short period of time.

"Earlier this year, I received a letter and then a phone call
from General Samuel Adams, Supreme Commander, Allied Powers
Europe.  It seems there was this lieutenant colonel, a woman, who
was considered to be very important to our war effort.  Although
I was not given any details, I learned that this woman had been
awarded the Medal of Honor.  I was asked if we could produce a
special Kevlar vest and a helmet for her very quickly.  I said we
could, and we did.

"We received the colonel's measurements and found that they
matched those of Sandy Cartwright.  We were going to use Sandy to
model for a dummy and then mold the Kevlar to the dummy but there
wasn't time.  We molded it directly to Sandy, causing her
excrutiating pain.  She never flinched.  She said it was for her
late husband.  Later, we got a wonderful letter from the
lieutenant colonel thanking us for our product.  She's here today
-- now a major general.  I am very proud to introduce to you
Kelly Jackson, Major General, U.S. Army.  Kelly?"

Kelly got up and went to the microphone.  She held up her arm and
waved to the people as they cheered.  When the plant quieted
down, she began to speak.  "Ladies and gentlemen of Smith &
Wesson, I scarcely know how to begin.  I'm here this morning to
thank you all -- but particularly Sandy Cartwright -- for saving
my life.  However, before I start, I hear all this chatter about
General Jackson.  I don't answer to General Jackson very well. 
Everyone calls me Kelly, and I wish you all would, too.  After
all, I owe you my life.

"Mr. Johnson told you about the Kevlar vest.  Wearing it, I took
five hits, three of which would have been lethal.  My helmet is
also Kevlar made by you.  It took three hits.  For openers, I
guess that means you saved my life six times.

"There's more, though.  I never featured being a target.  I am
very partial to a particular weapon, a 9mm 15-shot double-action
automatic.  It's also by Smith & Wesson.  In Germany, I used it
to save my life and the life of my fiance, Mike Callahan, who's
here beside me.  I fired five shots and got five lethal hits. 
Then last night I used it again.  The four of us were attacked in
Washington.  I guess the death toll reached ten -- all badguys."

Kelly reached behind her back and brought out her automatic from
its waistband holster.  She held it up and said, "Folks, you make
wonderful products.  They are products which, by their very
nature, are not designed for everyday use.  Yet when you use one,
whether it's a Kevlar vest or an automatic, you want it to work
right the first time.  Otherwise, there may not be a second time.
 Your products do work right... the first time!  I'm living proof
that they do.  Thank you so much!"

She turned around and motioned Sandy Cartwright to come up.  The
girl joined Kelly at the microphone.  Kelly put her arm around
her and said, "And as for Sandy, here, there are no words.  This
girl sacrificed her body for someone she didn't even know.  All I
can say is, thank you so very much!"  She took Sandy in her arms
and hugged her, then gave her a very warm kiss on the cheek.

The applause from the workers was deafening.  Fred Johnson
replaced Kelly at the microphone.  When the crowd quieted down,
he said, "I should have said something earlier.  Kelly asked me
if we have a reconditioning service.  For her, we do.  I want to
show you something."

He lifted the old outer fabric cover from her vest.  He pointed
out the hits that it had taken and their locations.  Then he held
up the two bullets Kelly had brought with her.  At this point he
went to a box and took out her vest.  It was as good as new. 
Johnson held it up and said, "We needed to do this anyway.  When
we made this vest about six months ago, Kelly was a lieutenant
colonel.  On the other hand, as recently as April 15 of this year
she was only a captain.  Here it is November and she's a major
general.  Who says the government can't get anything right?!"

There was a storm of applause and cheers.

"At any rate, Kelly, would you come back here, please?"  Kelly
came up to join him at the microphone.  Johnson continued, "I
would like to read the label to you.  It's woven, and it had to
be large for everything to fit.  It says, 'To Kelly Jackson,
Major General, U.S. Army, Gold Cross of Liberty, Medal of Honor,
Distinguished Service Cross (valor), Legion of Merit, Silver
Star, Purple Heart, Victoria Cross, Croix de Guerre, Golden Order
of the Knight's Cross, the Gold Cross of the Republic of the
Russias, from the people of Smith & Wesson.  You have helped to
preserve our freedom and in the process helped gain liberty for
millions of people.  Thank you!'" He handed the vest to Kelly who
slipped it on.

Johnson continued, "There's one thing more.  Kelly, thank you for
your testimonial.  We're very proud of our products and very
proud of our people.  We like to think we're the best in the
world.  Now I would like to introduce Tony Labruzio, the foreman
and lead craftsman in our special weapons unit.  Tony?"

A man climbed to the platform.  He was wearing a traditional
gunsmith's apron and carried a beautiful rosewood box under his
arm.  He went up to the microphone and adjusted it downward.  He
said, "Kelly, we're very proud of the weapons we make.  But our
weapons can be no better than the people using them.  We know
you're the very best, so you deserve the very best.  On behalf of
the Special Weapons Group, we would like you to accept this 9mm
automatic.  With all due respect to the weapon you carry, it's a
Chevrolet compared to the Ferrari we have for you here.  Please
accept it as a token of our respect and affection."  Labruzio
opened the box and showed the weapon to her.

Kelly just gasped.  It was a stainless steel automatic inlaid
with gold.  The hand grips were antique ivory.  She took it from
its case carefully and found that its balance was utterly
perfect.  Carefully, she put it back and then took Labruzio's
face and kissed him.  She said, "Tony, I don't know what to say.
It's a masterpiece!  Thank you so much, and thank you all so very
much."

Labruzio, now away from the microphone, looked up at her and
said, "Kelly, this weapon is perfect.  With match-grade
ammunition, you can put it on a rest, fire two bullets, and not
be able to see the second round.  It will be right inside the
first.  Would you like to try it?" he asked hopefully.  She
immediately agreed and they set a tentative time for later in the
afternoon.

They left the speakers platform and Johnson asked where Kelly
would like to eat.  She asked if there was a plant cafeteria; she
wanted to be with the workers and meet some of them.  Johnson
smiled warmly and led the way.

After a quick lunch, Johnson and Sandy took Kelly, Mike and the
rest around introducing them to people involved in producing
Kevlar vests and firearms.  Kelly signed dozens of autographs for
the people.  They were shown through the plant in the afternoon
and ended at the firing range.  Tony Labruzio was waiting for
them, along with a group of men from the Special Weapons Unit, to
watch her fire her new automatic.

They set up a series of targets for Kelly.  She put on ear
protectors and began to fire.  The targets were brought back and
changed while Kelly kept shooting.  Finally, she finished,
reloaded the weapon and put it in her holster, putting her old
9mm in the presentation box.  She went over to the table where
the men were admiring her targets.

Tony spoke for the group.  "Kelly, we make presentation weapons
for lots of important people.  Sometimes we almost cry when a gun
leaves our shop, because we know it's never going to be used. 
Often, the recipient scarcely knows which end of the gun the
bullets come out of.  With you, we're delighted.  Charley, here,
says you're better than we are... and we use a bench rest.  We're
really proud to give the best weapon ever to come out of this
shop to the person who really knows how to use it.  Thank you,
and good luck with it!"

Kelly shook hands with each of the men and thanked them. 
Finally, it was time to go.  She took Sandy in her arms and gave
her a hug.  "Sandy, I really owe you!  I don't know what to say,
except thank you.  I owe you my life.  That vest saved my life!"

Sandy smiled warmly and said, "Kelly, I feel the same way Tony
does.  It did its job for you.  I couldn't be more pleased.  We
know you were decisive in Europe, and I guess my small sacrifice
helped.  It made it well worth the pain!"

Soon they were back in the car returning to the airport.  Bill
and Chris had said little all day but as trained reporters they
had taken it all in.  Kelly had seen them both making notes and
had seen Chris activate a small recorder.  As they neared the
airport, Mike, sitting in front with Sgt. Howard, turned toward
the back seat and said, "What did you two think of the day?"

Bill replied first.  "I'm getting some sense of a Kelly Jackson.
She's an extraordinarily warm person.  She interacts with people
at any level.  She's genuinely interested in them."  He grinned
and added, "And she sure as hell knows which end of an automatic
the bullets come out of.  I have never seen such shooting, and
it's obvious the guys in the shop hadn't either."

Then Mike looked at Chris and said, "How about our liberal?  What
does she think?"

Chris smiled.  It was the warmest smile Kelly had ever seen from
her.  She said, "The liberal is wondering how to go about asking
Kelly if she could have her old automatic... along with some
shooting instruction.  Does that shock you?"

Bill smiled and said, "Not at all!  It's in the great liberal
tradition.  A columnist in Washington noted for his anti-gun
columns shoots a prowler at his home. _The New York Times,_ noted
for its anti-gun editorial position, turns out to have an
editor-in-chief and a publisher both of whom have carry permits.
Chris, you're in a long and honored liberal tradition."

"Bill Carlson, I hate you!" Chris exclaimed.

Bill said quietly, "I don't think so," and gathered her into his
arms and kissed her.  At first her arms were waving in the air
but a moment later were around his neck.  Mike winked at Kelly
who grinned back at him.

Bill gently released Chris who murmured, "Bill, that wasn't
nice."

Bill looked into the girl's green eyes and said, "Chris Collins,
I'll make a deal with you.  I will apologize if you can honestly
say you didn't like the kiss.  Can you?"  Chris didn't answer. 
Instead she snuggled close to him and just sighed.

They were soon back on the plane headed to Washington.  When they
returned to Andrews Air Force Base, Chris was alert.  She asked,
"Kelly, could I make a contribution?  I feel like the complete
freeloader.  Could I take us out to dinner tonight?"

When Kelly and Mike quickly accepted, Chris went to a phone and
made a call.  She told them where they were eating.  They got
into the car and drove downtown to the restaurant.  It was one at
which Chris was known, one of the places for "power dining" in
Washington, a restaurant where who you saw and who saw you were
far more important than what was served.

They were served a very mediocre meal and quickly left to return
to the hotel.  Chris was abashed.  She said, "I'm sorry, guys. 
That was a very stupid choice."  She smiled at Kelly and said, "I
made all kinds of points tonight. _I_ was seen with General Kelly
Jackson!  And you know what?  The food was so terrible, I didn't
eat anything, and you three didn't either."  She looked at Bill
and smiled sheepishly.  "Bill, do you know a restaurant where
they serve food instead of names?"

Bill took her hand and squeezed it.  He directed Kelly to a very
small Italian restaurant.  They were late arriving and were the
last to leave after a wonderful meal.  Chris said, "Thank you,
Bill.  That was a wonderful dinner.  But why did you pay?  Dinner
tonight was on me."

"Because this is my place.  Anyway, even though us ink-stained
wretches don't make what you high-powered TV types do, it's
affordable at Tony's.  You can try again tomorrow."Chapter 20

The next morning Kelly came out to the kitchen and found Chris
was already up and watching the coffee drip.  Chris gave her a
big smile, and Kelly saw a difference from the day before.  Her
legs were bare below the bottom of her flannel bathrobe; the
previous day she had seen pajama bottoms.  She asked Chris about
it.  She grinned and replied, "I'm becoming more like a
teenybopper I know.  I haven't quite got up the nerve to wear
nothing... yet."  She frowned and said, "I hope I didn't screw up
the coffee too badly."

Kelly noticed that the older girl was cooking bacon and had the
eggs out.  "What's going on?" she asked.  "It almost looks like
you're being domestic.  If I didn't know you better, I would say
you were."

"Kelly, I've got a problem.  It was that kiss in the car
yesterday.  Bill Carlson and I don't agree on the time of day --
or anything else, for that matter -- but that kiss curled my
toes.  All last night I was tossing -- or felt like tossing --
listening to his breathing just a couple of feet away.  Kelly, I
so wanted to get in bed with him and ask him to hold me.  What's
the matter with me?" the girl asked plaintively.

Kelly looked at her impassively.  With a completely straight face
she said, "The problem is you're a woman -- in spite of
everything you say.  Incidentally, I have a question for you. 
Will you be a bridesmaid in my wedding?"

Chris looked at Kelly in utter amazement.  "You want _me_ to be a
bridesmaid?  Why?"

"Well, first, you're a girl.  That always helps.  Second, there
seem to be a number of men who we want to be in the wedding, and
we need more women.  My problem is I don't have many girl
friends.  I've been out of the country for nearly three years. 
Before that I went through about one and a half schools a year,
so I never had a chance to develop friends.  Anyway, it's just a
thought," she finished.

"Kelly, I would love to be in your wedding.  But are you sure
your mother would approve?" Chris asked.

"I don't really see why not.  I happen to know that some of her
best friends are liberals.  She's very tolerant," Kelly finished
with a grin.

Moments later Bill appeared, followed by Mike.  Mike gave Kelly
his usual warm kiss.  Meanwhile, Bill went up to Chris who was
standing at the stove.  He took her chin in his hand, gently
turned her head and kissed her gently.  Kelly heard the spatula
drop in the pan as Chris's arms went around Bill's neck as she
returned his kiss with increasing passion.  Mike looked at Kelly
and winked.

Over the next few weeks the foursome fell into a pattern to
prepare for the wedding scheduled for the last Saturday in
November.  Chris started to accompany Kelly on her workouts, and
she realized the girl had a beautiful figure.  Surprisingly, she
started to use the automatic Kelly had given her and quickly
developed into an excellent pistol shot.

The coroner's inquest into the Georgetown deaths was open and
shut.  There was an immediate finding of justifiable homicide,
along with a finding of accidental death with respect to the two
passengers in the station wagon.

*  *  *

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and clear.  Katrina
Murphy, now back from her honeymoon, was Kelly's matron of honor,
while Kevin was Mike's best man.  Kelly kissed Katrina who was
now deeply tanned and looked absolutely beautiful after her
honeymoon in Hawaii.  Cathy Adams, Mary Harris, and Chris Collins
were the bridesmaids.  The ushers included Sam Adams and Ned
Carlson.

Mike was standing at the altar with Kevin, when they heard the
wedding march begin as the bridesmaids entered.  The last to
enter the cathedral was Katrina who Mike thought looked
absolutely gorgeous.  Her silver-blonde hair had been bleached
almost white by the Hawaiian sun and she looked spectacular with
her golden tan.

Kelly walked slowly up the aisle on her father's arm.  She was so
happy, tears were clouding her vision.  She was glad her father
was walking beside her, and she had his arm to guide her.  The
cathedral was magnificent and appeared to be very crowded in
spite of its great size.  As she approached the altar she saw
Mike standing there waiting for her.  It was truly the happiest
moment of her life.

As she neared him she saw the President looking at her as she
passed.  She reached the altar, and Katrina drew back her veil. 
Then Kelly looked into Mike's eyes and saw his love for her
shining in them.  He took her hand, and they approached the
bishop together.  The wedding mass passed in what seemed only an
instant.

At the point at which the bishop presiding would normally address
the congregation, the President came forward to the pulpit.  He
said, "Today is a day of joy.  We are here to witness the
exchange of marriage vows between Kelly Jackson and Michael
Callahan.  I would like to say a few words about this young
couple.  First, Mike Callahan is a West Point graduate.  While
his classmates are being promoted from captain to major, Mike is
a brigadier general.  Temporarily.  Mike holds two Distinguished
Service Crosses for valor.  He has two Purple Hearts.  He has an
assortment of lesser hardware including the Silver Star and the
Bronze Star.  He is the most decorated man in the U.S. Armed
Forces.

"I say decorated man.  He is marrying Kelly.  Kelly is not yet
twenty years old.  One year ago she was a prisoner of the KGB and
undergoing unspeakable tortures every day.  She escaped and met
Mike.  They have been together ever since.  She was commissioned
as a captain in the Army on March 1 of this year.  Now she is a
major general.  Temporarily.  She has been awarded two Medals of
Honor.

"However, her achievements have been so great the Congress has
had to create a new top award for valor, the Gold Cross of
Liberty.  Kelly is the only person to whom it has been awarded. 
In addition she holds the highest awards for valor from Great
Britain, France, Germany, and Russia.

"Kelly and Mike both say they want a lot of children.  I can only
say that if the children are anything like their parents, we can
feel very good about the prospects for our country.  I am
delighted to be here today.  Frankly, I guess I invited myself. 
Every time I saw Kelly, I reminded her to invite me to this
wedding.  I know you all join me in wishing Kelly and Mike every
happiness in their marriage.  It is happiness they so richly
deserve."

The wedding ceremony continued.  Finally the bishop pronounced
them man and wife, and they started down the aisle.  As they
reached the door, they stopped.  At the door were twenty senior
officers with Sam Adams and Ned Carlson closest to them, all with
swords forming an arch for them to go through to the waiting
limousine.  They got in the car, and it moved toward the hotel
where the reception was to be held.

Mike said, "Darling, I think that was a first.  As you know, Sam
is now Army Chief of Staff, and I saw Admiral Bradley.  We even
had the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs saluting us!"

At the reception the President came up to Mike and Kelly.  He
said, "We didn't know what to get you, so we've promoted you
both.  Kelly, you haven't been promoted in over a month.  You're
now a lieutenant general and Mike is a major general.  I'm
jumping the gun on Sam Adams, but we're giving you the 101st
Airborne at Fort Campbell.  Mike will be your deputy division
commander.  Sam will brief you on the assignment when youreturn.

The honeymoon in Hawaii was idyllic.  All Kelly remembered as
they returned to the mainland was making love.  As they flew
east, Kelly took down a blanket and covered them.  She placed
Mike's hand on her bare breast and slept most of the way.Chapter
21

Mike was driving as they rolled through the main gate at Fort
Campbell, Kentucky.  They exchanged knowing glances.  The sentry
hadn't looked up from his comic book -- he just waved the car
through.  Mike and Kelly were both in civilian clothes and both
had deep tans from their Hawaiian honeymoon.

They found the headquarters building and walked in.  Kelly was
wearing a leather jacket with a fur collar similar to a World War
II bomber jacket over a sweater and skirt.  Her golden hair was
back in a pony tail.  Mike was wearing a similar jacket over
slacks and a sport shirt.  When they entered the office they were
appalled at what they were seeing.  One girl was struggling with
a typewriter while the rest -- there appeared to be a total of
ten -- were reading magazines, fixing their nails or otherwise
killing time.

Kelly stood at the counter and waited.  One girl glanced up from
doing her nails and saw a very beautiful young girl with a good
looking guy standing there.  She went back to her nails.  Neither
Kelly nor Mike said anything.

Finally the girl who was struggling with the typewriter looked up
and saw them.  She jumped to her feet and came to the counter. 
"May I help you?" she asked.

Kelly read the girl's name tape, SMITH, and noticed she had the
single chevron of a private first class.  Kelly had quickly
noticed that Smith was the most junior in grade and yet seemed to
be the only one trying to do any work.  Kelly smiled and said,
"My name is Jackson.  I would like to see General Bowers,
please."

Smith's eyes widened but she said, "Yes, ma'am.  I'll call right
away.  Do you have an appointment?  And is the gentleman with
you?"

Kelly smiled and replied, "I don't have an appointment, and yes,
the gentleman is with me.  His name is Callahan.  Please tell the
General we're here."

The girl placed a call and spoke quickly.  She looked frightened
as she returned to the counter and said, "The third door on the
left please, ma'am."

Kelly and Mike went down the hall and knocked at the third door.
A deep female voice told them to enter.  Mike led the way into an
office.  Seated behind the desk was a female major who was very
large and very heavy.  She looked up with a very bored expression
and said, "I'm Major Barrett.  May I help you?"

Kelly smiled and said, "I asked to see General Bowers."

The woman had not risen from her desk.  She just said, "The
General is unavailable.  If you wish, you can state your
business, and I'll see if I can get you an appointment.  However,
I can tell you now it won't be until the middle of January at the
earliest."

Kelly said, "Major, you're a fool.  I asked to see the General. 
Unless you have a very good reason for not allowing it, I intend
to see him... _now!"_

Mike glanced at Kelly and managed to control a grin.  Kelly's
blue eyes were flashing sparks, and he knew she was mad.  It had
proven to be very dangerous to make Kelly Jackson mad.

The Major had obviously given some signal.  Just then the door
opened behind them, and Kelly felt her arm grabbed from behind. 
Glancing around she saw a burly sergeant wearing an MP brassard
along with three privates standing behind him.  Kelly allowed
herself to be led out of the office and out the front door.  The
sergeant went to give Kelly a shove in the back.  She felt it,
reached behind her back and grabbed his arm as he pushed. 
Instead of Kelly moving, the sergeant went flying and landed in
the dirt.  The three MPs started to move.

Just as they did, Kevin Murphy, who was standing next to his car
with Katrina, raised a Uzi machine pistol and said quietly,
"Stand fast!"

The sergeant had picked himself up from the dirt and came
charging at Kelly.  She sidestepped and hit him in the side with
a karate knife, breaking a rib.  He charged again and the process
repeated.  After four attempts -- and four broken ribs -- when he
landed in the dirt he started spitting blood.  He tried to get up
again but couldn't.  He fell on his face and lay still.

By this time a large crowd of soldiers had formed a ring around
them.  Clearly, the sergeant was not well-liked.  The men seemed
to enjoy seeing him cut up.  Kelly hadn't so much as mussed a
hair.  She brushed off her hands and nodded to Mike.

He went into the office and told Pfc. Smith to call for an
ambulance.  It was apparent that the sergeant had a punctured
lung.  When he went outside again, Kevin was casually putting his
weapon aside.  The other MP privates were standing speechless. 
Kevin and Katrina went up on the porch of the administration
building with the Uzi hanging at his side.  Katrina was by his
side with her arms folded, but there was a Uzi hanging at her
side as well.

Kelly went back to Major Barrett's office.  She walked in, taking
the woman by surprise.  "I was saying that I wanted to see
General Bowers, Major.  Then I was rather rudely interrupted. 
The siren you heard was the ambulance taking the sergeant off to
the hospital.  I don't believe we're going to be interrupted
again, so why don't we see the general?"

Bowers face showed fear.  Something was very wrong.  Still she
tried to bluff.  "You can't see the general.  He's not here."

"I think he's in the office at the end of the hall.  Shall we
see?"

Barrett came around the desk and followed as Kelly and Mike
entered the corner office.  They found the general passed out on
his sofa with an overturned liquor bottle lying on the floor. 
The office stank like a distillery.

Kelly picked up the phone and said, "This is General Jackson. 
Send for an ambulance at once.  General Bowers needs immediate
medical attention."

Barrett turned to leave but found her arm held by Mike in a grip
like a vise.  He suggested she take a seat which she did.

Kelly hung up the phone and looked at Barrett.  "Major," she
began, "shall we start over?  You never thought to ask.  You just
ordered us thrown out.  However, I'm Lieutenant General Kelly
Jackson with orders to take command of the 101st; this is my new
deputy commander, Major General Michael Callahan.  We've now
located General Bowers.  Where is his deputy commander?  Why
isn't he here?"

When Barrett heard Kelly identify herself as a general, she had
turned white.  She replied, "He's confined to his quarters. 
General Bower's orders."

"When were those orders given, Major?" Kelly asked.  Mike could
hear the steel in her quiet voice and so could Barrett.

"Yesterday," the woman replied.  There was almost a question mark
at the end of the word.

"Major, from the looks of him, General Bowers was in no shape to
give any orders yesterday... or for a long time before that.  I'm
assuming you gave the orders in the General's name.  Confine
yourself to your quarters until you hear from me.  Now get the
deputy in here at once!"

Barrett picked up the phone, dialed a number and spoke into the
phone.  "The general will be over in a few minutes," she said.

Kelly glanced at her watch and asked, "Who is in charge of base
security?"

"I am," Barrett replied.

"As well as acting as the commanding officer without
authorization," Kelly mused aloud.  "Major, your last official
act, before being relieved of all duties in advance of a Court of
Inquiry to which you will be named a party, is to call a meeting
of all officers of the 101st, company grade or higher for 1300
hours.  I trust there is a hall or building large enough for our
meeting?"

Barrett nodded and made arrangements.  She withdrew from the
office looking deflated and white with fear.

Kelly winked at Mike and said, "Honey, it looks like we're going
to have to work for a change."

Mike went out front and brought Kevin and Katrina back with him.
This time they had suitcases with them.  They went into a vacant
office -- nearly all of them were -- and changed.  Minutes later
they emerged wearing camouflage battle dress utilities -- BDUs.

Mike took them back to the office and said loudly, "AttenTION!"

All the girls jumped to their feet.  Mike said, "I'm General
Callahan, the new deputy division commander.  I want you to meet
two captains Murphy.  The young lady, Captain Katrina Murphy, is
my aide.  Captain Kevin Murphy is my wife's aide.  She is
Lieutenant General Kelly Jackson Callahan, although she doesn't
use her married name on duty.  The Murphys are also husband and
wife.  Katrina will temporarily be running this office in place
of Major Barrett.  Kevin will be in charge of security.  Any
questions?"

All the girls looked frightened except Pfc. Smith who seemed very
pleased.  While she directed Kevin towards the base security
office and Katrina went back to get started on the
administration, Mike went into an empty office to change.  As he
was putting on his uniform he heard an ambulance arrive to take
Bowers off to the hospital.

Going back to Bower's former office, a brigadier general entered
the building, saw him, and saluted.  Mike's back was towards him
so he couldn't see his name tape.  He said, "General, I'm Kraft,
the deputy division commander.  I'm pleased to meet you."

Mike turned and put out his hand, "Kraft, I'm glad to meet you. 
I'm Callahan, the new deputy and your relief.  Come on back and
we'll meet the new division commander."

They entered the corner office and found Kelly behind the desk. 
She looked up, smiled, and got to her feet.  Kraft looked around
the office puzzled.  "I'm Kelly Jackson, General.  I'm very
pleased to meet you.  Although I would have liked it to be under
more pleasant circumstances.  Won't you please sit down?"

Kraft took a seat, still looking puzzled.  Mike said, "Please
forgive my wife.  I think she's forgotten she's out of uniform."
Kelly reddened and Mike told her in which of the offices he had
left her uniform.  Kelly excused herself and Mike said, "Kraft,
my wife, whom you just met, is Lieutenant General Kelly Jackson.
She's the new commanding officer of the 101st."

"But that's impossible!  She's a woman," Kraft protested.

Mike smiled and said, "The fact that she's a woman is very true.
She also holds a regular army commission as a lieutenant
general... in spite of being only nineteen years old.  She also
holds the Gold Cross of Liberty, two Medals of Honor, two DSC's,
the Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.  Then there's also the
Victoria Cross, the Croix de Guerre, the German Golden Order of
the Knight's Cross, and the Russian Golden Cross of the Republic.
 She also won it for us in Europe.  Expressed a different way,
General, Kelly has more senior medals for valor than you have in
the whole damned Division.  Do you question her ability to
command the 101st?"

Kraft's jaw had dropped.  "You can't be serious!  That girl did
all those things?"

Mike smiled and said, "She sure did, and a few more to boot.  You
saw a girl out front -- a captain -- who's my aide.  She's Kevin
Murphy's wife, but she's also the daughter of the President of
the Russian Republics, Mikhail Solov, formerly Field Marshall in
the Red Army.  Ask Katrina about Kelly and get the view from the
other side."

Just then Kelly returned to the office wearing her BDUs.  Kraft
snapped to attention and saluted smartly.  Kelly returned the
salute and took her seat.  "General, you're being relieved and
reassigned.  Before you go, though, could you tell us what's
going on here at Fort Campbell."

Kraft sat back in the chair and said, "I really wish I could.  I
haven't seen General Bowers personally in nearly six months.  I
suspect Major Barrett has been running the command in his name. 
I saw the ambulance leaving as I arrived.  Was that Bowers?"

"Yes, General, it was," Kelly replied.  "I guess the reason I'm
here is to try to shape up the 101st.  It's fair to say that the
Screaming Eagle Division is facing extinction.  I am sure you
noticed the 101st was the only front-line combat unit to remain
in the States?  It should have been in Germany with the 82nd but
wasn't."  Kraft realized her eyes were boring into his.  She
asked, "General, what is the present state of readiness?"

"That's why I was in hack, General," he replied, looking
chagrined, "I was raising hell because our readiness is
disgraceful.  I guess you saw some of it just driving in.  Were
you challenged at the gate?"  Kelly shook her head.  "What did
you think of the office when you came in?  I'll bet Pfc. Smith
was the only one working.  Am I right?"

"You sure are, General.  Now, is there anything you can tell me
about the regimental or battalion commanders... or anyone else on
the post for that matter."

Kraft gave them a briefing while apologizing for its limitations.
 Apparently, he had been unable to do anything to shape up the
Division in the period he had been there.  He did provide one
name, Major John Jeffries, as a good candidate to take over
security.  When he finished his very brief report, Kraft left to
pack his gear.

Kelly asked Mike to take over and speak to Jeffries.  Jeffries
arrived at headquarters and Mike gave him the Security detail
along with instructions to shape it up fast.

Then the foursome went over to the mess hall to eat with Kelly
and the others wearing their utility uniforms with soft hats. 
Because the rank insignia on the hats was in black, it was easy
to miss the stars against the camouflage pattern of the caps'
cloth.  As Kelly led the way through the mess line, she found a
few of the food service people to be pleasant but most were
surly.  When she got to the end of the line, she told the
sergeant that she wanted to see the Duty Mess Sergeant and the
Commissary Officer at once.

The sergeant had been sitting at the end of the line half asleep
as Kelly came up to him.  He hadn't noticed her insignia until
she spoke to him.  When he saw the three stars, he snapped to
attention.  He said he would bring the men to their table at
once.

Then the sergeant went into the mess hall and bellowed,
"AttenTION!"  All the men jumped from their seats and stood at
attention.  For some of them, the time-lag between the execution
command and their movement was significant.

Kelly and Mike carried their trays over to a table in the corner,
and Kelly stood up on a bench to be able to see and be seen. 
Mike got up beside her.  She said, "Please be seated.  I'm sorry
to interrupt your lunch, but I want to introduce myself.  My name
is Kelly Jackson.  I'm the new commanding officer of the 101st. 
Standing here with me is my deputy, Major General Michael
Callahan.  He would like to say a few words."

"Men, Kelly forgot to mention that she's a lieutenant general. 
She wears the Combat Infantry Badge, is paratroop qualified and
has two Medals of Honor.  We are here to shape up the 101st...
fast!  I hope you all want to be paratroopers.  If you don't,
transfers and discharges will be very easy to arrange.  I hope
you stay with us.  We apologize again for the interruption. 
Enjoy your lunch!"

Mike got down from the bench, looked at the food on his tray, and
made a face.  "Kelly, you wouldn't feed this to pigs!  This is
_awful!"_

Just then a sergeant came running up followed by a lieutenant
colonel still tucking his uniform shirt into his pants.  The two
men came up to the table and saluted.  They weren't smart
salutes, but Kelly felt they were the best the men could manage.
She said, "Colonel, what is on this tray?  It certainly isn't
food.  What is it?"

The man sputtered and started to answer when Kelly stopped him. 
"Don't tell me what the book says, Colonel.  Did you eat it?" 
When he said he hadn't, she said, "In that case, I am sure you're
missing a rare experience!  I haven't touched my tray, Colonel. 
It's all yours.

"Sergeant, I think General Callahan can spare his for you.  But
before you start eating, get the two senior cooks on duty and
bring them out here, too."

The sergeant went off and came back a few moments later with two
fat cooks.  One was still wiping his hands on a dirty towel
secured around his waist.  Kelly told them to be seated, and they
were given Katrina's and Kevin's trays.

Kelly said, "Gentlemen, this is what you're serving to the
troops.  I'm sure you will enjoy it every bit as much as they
did.  You will eat it. _All of it!_  Do I make myself clear? 
I'll ask my aide, Captain Murphy, to stay and keep you company.

"Kevin, we're going to McDonald's for lunch.  We'll bring you
back a couple of Big Macs."  She turned to the foursome who were
now sitting at the table and looking miserable as they examined
the awful-appearing food.  The three left the mess hall.

When they returned nearly an hour later, they saw that Kevin had
his Uzi out hanging from its sling.  One of the cooks was
writhing on the floor.  All of them looked sick.  Kelly
suppressed a grin as she saw what were obviously bullet holes in
the floor close to where the men were sitting.

Kevin said, "General, I don't know quite what to do.  I heard you
say they would enjoy the food.  I'm not sure, sir, if that was an
order.  They ate it, but I can honestly say they did not enjoy
it."

Kelly pulled up a chair to the table where the commissary
personnel were sitting.  "Colonel, why is this food so bad?"

The man looked miserable.  "Because, General, we pay for shit and
that's what we get.  We only spend about one-third of what we're
supposed to."

"Where's the other two-thirds?" Kelly asked.

"Major Barrett, General," the man said miserably.

Kelly nodded to Mike who went to a telephone.  He called Major
Jeffries and ordered him to have Major Barrett taken into
custody.  As he returned to the table, he heard Kelly tell him to
be sure that there was good food available beginning at the
evening meal that day.  She told him that the episode they had
just lived through was going to become routine.  Furthermore, she
intended to eat most of her own meals in the mess hall.  As they
left and neared the exit, all the troopers were on their feet
applauding.  By the time they reached the door, the applause had
turned to cheers.  Clearly, Kelly had made an impression.

At one minute past one Kevin Murphy came out on the stage of the
base auditorium and called the officers present to attention.  He
nodded towards the rear where some of Major Jeffries' MPs
proceeded to close the doors.  Mike was with the major in the
lobby ready to take the names of any latecomers while Kelly
walked out to the podium and looked out at the seats.  As she
expected, it appeared that fewer than half the invited officers
were present.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she began.  "I am Kelly Jackson.  I
am the new commanding officer of the 101st Airborne.  My deputy
is Mike Callahan.  He is now taking the names of latecomers. 
This division is a disgrace to the Airborne and to the whole U.S.
Army.  I served with the 82nd in Europe.  Rather, it's more
accurate to say the 82nd saved my ass in Europe.  I have a deep
respect for Jim Ames and his troops.  My aide, Captain Murphy, is
from the 82nd.  Our mission, gentlemen, is to clean their clocks
on the first of February, next year.  That only gives us about
two months and that includes Christmas.

"I said this division is a disgrace.  It is.  It's the only
first-line combat unit that was not sent to Europe.  If any of
you think it's because you were too valuable here in the States,
you're full of shit!  It's because this division is a joke!  It
was considered to be a hazard to itself and to any unit near it.
In other words, the 101st was too dangerous to itself and to our
own people to be let loose.  The Screaming Eagles face
extinction.  I don't want it to happen.  I will not allow it
happen!

"To be sure it doesn't happen, things are going to get rough
around here.  We're going to be doing more training -- winter or
not -- in the next two months than you've done in the last two
years.  We're getting started now!  A final point:  We're now at
peace for the first time in years.  The armed forces are being
downsized.  Accordingly, any one who doesn't like it -- or the
prospect of it -- is welcome to transfer or resign.  I can
guratantee you a transfer out.  I cannot guarantee any other unit
will accept you in.  In fact, I have it on pretty good authority
that any officer from the 101st is considered to be a bum, sight
unseen.  But if you wish to take your chances, you're welcome. 
Before you leave here, check in with Captain Murphy and give her
your name.  We want to know who was here and who wasn't.  Heavy
training starts tomorrow at 0600.

"A final point for your information.  I told you I'm Kelly
Jackson.  My complete name is Kelly Jackson Callahan.  I'm very
proud to say that Mike Callahan is my husband.  We got into the
husband-and-wife routine.  My aide is Captain Kevin Murphy. 
Mike's aide is my best friend and the matron of honor at my
wedding, Katrina Solov Murphy.  I was her maid of honor when she
married Kevin in Moscow a couple of months ago.  Katrina was a
captain in the Red Army until she was captured in May.  And
please be nice to her.  Her father is now President of Russia. 
I'll see you all in the morning.  Dismissed."

The officers lined up to check in with Katrina while Kelly went
out and met Mike.  A great many officers who had arrived late
were now standing around outside the auditorium.  Kelly quickly
briefed them and said they all now had one strike.  Those who
missed the meeting without a good excuse now had two.  Three
strikes and they were out of the unit.

When they walked out of the building and looked around, they saw
that the sky had become overcast.  It was cold and threatening to
snow.  As they stood outside they saw Chris and Bill come towards
them, both wearing storm coats.  Chris came up and said with a
smile, "Is it safe for us to come out now?"

The original plan had been for Chris and Bill to stay with Kelly
only until her wedding.  But when they heard about her assignment
as commander of the 101st along with the unit's problems, they
both made arrangements to stay.  They went over to the Commanding
Officer's quarters together.  As they arrived, a cleaning detail
was just leaving.  The sergeant in charge saluted Kelly and said
that things were as good as they could make them.  He asked if he
could see about some plumbing repairs and repainting, but he
assured her that everything worked.

They quickly moved in.  Kelly was amused to see that Bill and
Chris moved into the same room even though the house was big
enough to have several spare bedrooms.  Kelly had put Katrina and
Kevin in the Deputy Division Commander's house next door.  She
explained that given the uncertainty around the base, she wanted
them close by.  Then she told Bill and Chris what had happened
during the day while Mike called JAG headquarters in Washington
to determine what to do with Major Barrett.  He was told that the
alleged theft of government property would be investigated by CID
in conjunction with the FBI.  Two CID agents had appeared to take
Barrett into custody.

After drinks, the group including Kevin and Katrina went over to
the mess hall for dinner.  When she went through the food service
line the change from lunchtime was dramatic.  The food looked
appetizing and all the servers were clean.  As they served her,
they gave her embarrassed smiles.  She smiled back.  When she
entered the mess hall there was a spontaneous cheer from themen.

As she made her way back to a vacant table, several of them
thanked her for the sudden change in the quality of the food. 
She was putting her tray down on a table when a corporal came up
and stood stiffly at attention.  He said, "Request permission to
speak to the general, sir!"

Kelly smiled and said, "At ease, soldier.  Permission granted. 
What's on your mind?"

Even though she had told him to stand at ease, he remained at
attention.  He said, "General, this is the best meal I've eaten
since I've been at the fort.  I just wanted you to know, sir,
that things got much better in just the few hours you've been
here.  Sir, I was with the 82nd and wounded in Germany.  I have a
lot of buddies who are still in it.  You're Kelly Jackson, aren't
you, sir?"

Kelly smiled warmly and said, "I sure am.  But, Corporal, why
don't you just relax.  If you have a few minutes, could you pull
up a chair?  You may be just the man I want to talk to.  And
Benson, you could call me 'ma'am'."

Benson reddened and said, "I'm sorry, sir... ma'am."  He pulled
over a chair and sat down.  He said, "It's just kind of hard to
think of the commanding officer of an airborne division as a
woman."

By this time the others had come over to the table.  Bill and
Chris, particularly, were paying close attention to what the
corporal had to say.  Kelly asked, "What do you think of the
101st, Benson?"

The corporal frowned but then brightened.  He said, "It's really
a mess right now, ma'am.  But there are some very good men. 
Ma'am, you're the one who took out the Russian command post,
aren't you?  Along with General Callahan?"

Mike said, "Son, my job was easy.  I was sleeping.  My wife did
it all.  In fact, she patched me up in her spare time." 

"Ma'am, my buddies tell me all they found were dead bodies! 
Every one with a bullet in the head!  That _was_ you, wasn'tit?"

"I'm afraid so, Corporal.  In fact, Jim Ames was teed off.  He
claims all I left for him was the garbage work: burying the dead,
listing the prisoners and that sort of thing.  He said I have to
clean his room for him to get us even.  He accuses me of being a
very sloppy housekeeper.  He was nice, though.  He promised he
wouldn't tell Mike until after we were married."  Kelly was
grinning when she finished.

Then she added, "Do you think we can shape up this outfit enough
to take the 82nd in February?  That's what we're going to try to
do!"

Benson grinned back and said, "General, I think I better get some
sleep.  If it can be done, ma'am, you're the one who can do it! 
But there are sure going to be some hurtin' troopers between now
and then!"  He got up and stiffened to attention.  "Thank you,
ma'am for your time."

He went off.  When he got about ten yards away he was mobbed by
his buddies who wanted to know what had been said.

Chris said, "Kelly, I think you've done it again.  The word is
going to spread concerning the new CO.  And it can't hurt."

They went back to the houses and went to bed.Chapter 22

The next morning Kelly and Mike were up at five o'clock.  They
were surprised to find Bill and Chris up, too.  Somewhere the two
reporters had found BDUs and combat boots.  Then after a quick
cup of coffee the four went outside.  At five-thirty it was still
pitch dark and quite cold.  Kevin and Katrina were waiting in
jeeps and drove them over to the parade ground.  They took their
positions at the head of the formations.  It was obvious from the
confusion that the division had never been assembled like this
before.

Exactly at 0600, Mike passed the word, and a bugler sounded
officer's call.  Instantly, they could hear platoons, then
companies, then battalions, and finally regiments reporting
ready.  The regimental commanders were lined up in front ofMike.

Kelly marched to where they were standing.  Mike executed an
about-face and saluted Kelly reporting, "The 101st Airborne
Division is all present or accounted for, sir!"

Kelly returned the salute and ordered them to stand at ease.  She
said, "Gentlemen, this division is going to get into combat
trim... fast!  I thought we might start slow.  We're only going
to run five miles before breakfast this morning.

"General Callahan, give the orders to move out by regiment."

Kelly saw some of the regimental commanders go pale as they heard
her orders.  Mike had checked maps and had laid out a five-mile
course.  The first unit started to move out, followed by the
others.  Kelly grinned at Mike and said, "Shall we join the
party?"  She started to move out at double time accompanied by
Mike and the others.

Katrina had taken particular care to be sure that the clerks from
the office were in ranks and running.  Kelly ran alongside the
troops carrying her standard pack and her sidearm.  Even Bill and
Chris were running.  As they passed units the men grinned and
waved.  Finally, they had passed the leading unit and reached the
finish line where they waited.  Soon the first units came by.  It
was apparent that not all the men had finished.  Unit by unit,
there were gaps in the ranks where soldiers had fallen out.

They went over to the mess hall for breakfast.  Again, she was
cheered when she came out of the serving area into the mess hall
itself.  The men had all seen the senior officers pass them on
the trail.  That morning there were over 100 requests for
transfer, including all the girls in the office except Pfc.
Smith.  Kelly had appointed a division adjutant and suggested to
him that Smith be promoted to sergeant.  He agreed withalacrity.

In a conversation with Sam Adams, Kelly had told him what she
expected to do and what the probable reaction would be.  He
wasn't surprised.  She called him and told him about the
transfers.  All the transfers were to be sent to Fort Bragg,
North Carolina, pending final disposition.  Replacements had been
positioned at Fort Bragg as well and would be brought in that
afternoon by air.

In the weeks that followed, Kelly drove the men and drove
herself.  She and Mike seemed to be everywhere, watching every
exercise.  The training continued and the improvement was visible
each day.  Kelly astounded the men when she led them in repeated
parachute jumps onto frozen landing areas.  They practiced
vertical envelopment with squadrons of helicopters.  Kelly was on
the phone to Sam Adams cajoling him to give her more aircraft for
training jumps.  During the entire period, no one ever saw Kelly
order anyone to do anything.  She showed them how she wanted it
done, and they tried to follow her example.

In the afternoon of the first day of training, Kelly was on the
firing range.  She overheard a major tell his men that a range
score of twenty-five out of a possible fifty was pretty good. 
Kelly went over to the Major and, after a word with the range
sergeant, offered to shoot the course with him.

The Major fired first.  The course was set up in an antiterrorist
mode similar to one Kelly had fired at Quantico.  After shooting
they brought his targets back for scoring.  Kelly sorted through
them and found a target with a terrorist behind a female hostage
who was holding a baby.  His bullet had gone between the woman's
eyes.  Kelly said, "Major, are you sure twenty-five out of fifty
is good enough?  You beat that score, but killed at least one
innocent civilian."

Then Kelly fired the course using an assault rifle set on full
automatic fire.  She ran down the course firing short bursts. 
When she finished, she removed the clip and cleared the breech. 
Her targets were brought back and scored.  All were tens, in
spite of using automatic fire.  Every bullet scored.  The range
personnel went bugeyed as they looked at the targets.  No one
working the range had ever seen a perfect score, and no one had
ever fired the terrorist course using automatic fire.

Kelly said, "Try to do better, Major," and walked off.

Each night Kelly would stagger back to the house and take turns
with Mike massaging each other.  They shared a hot shower and
slowly made love before going over to the mess hall for dinner. 
They ate almost all their meals there, a point particularly noted
by the men.  As the word spread, more and more officers started
to eat in the mess hall, too.  Chris asked Kelly what she did for
aches and pains.  Kelly told her about massaging Mike and being
massaged by him.  Chris looked interested but said nothing.

The first Sunday on the post, Kelly slept late for her.  She
didn't get up until seven o'clock.  Going down to the kitchen,
she found Chris waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.  The
girl had her legs spread wide as she sat on a chair.  Kelly
looked at her face and saw she looked beautiful but tired. 
"Chris Collins, have you been a bad girl?" Kelly asked.

Chris grinned and said, "No, I was actually pretty good.  At
least Bill said I was.  Kelly, you couldn't have been more right.
 I never did have an orgasm before I met you.  Now... last
night... I must have cum over a dozen times."

She smiled at Kelly and said, "Would you do me a favor?  Please
never mention that 'personhood' bullshit I was trying to sell
you, ever again?  Kelly, I'm a cunt!  I've got good tits, a great
ass, and great legs.  My cunt is getting to be pretty talented. 
Kelly, I love to massage the big lug and feel his muscles.  We
have a deal.  I massage him and finish by doing his cock.  He
enters me and when we cum, I get to lie there while he massages
me.  God, it's great.  And Kelly, I thought I was in good shape
when we met.  I didn't know what physical conditioning _was!_ 
You absolutely define it.

"Could I make us breakfast this morning, please?  I've been
practicing, and I promise you I won't poison us."

Kelly relaxed in a chair and watched as Chris prepared a
monstrous breakfast that included country ham, eggs, pancakes,
and hash-brown potatoes.  Kelly just grinned.  Bill came in and
went up behind Chris at the stove.  When he put his hands over
her breasts, Chris turned in his arms and kissed him lovingly. 
Kelly watched in amusement as Chris just melted in his arms.

When he lifted his head from their kiss she heard Chris whisper,
"Good morning, darling!  Did you sleep well?"

Bill said, "As well as I could."  He looked at Kelly and said,
"How does Mike get any sleep?  Kelly, I didn't know when I was
well off!  I discovered that Chris has been a repressed
nymphomaniac all these years.  Now it's all come out.  This girl
is going to be the death of me!"  Then he grinned and added, "But
what a way to go!"  Then he kissed her again.

On Monday morning Kelly sent for Sergeant Major Franklin, the
division sergeant major and the ranking enlisted man on the post.
 A few minutes later he appeared and saluted smartly.  Kelly
shook hands and asked him to take a seat.  She said, "Sergeant,
how long have you been in the Army?"

Franklin was a very big man, standing over six feet three.  He
had very broad, heavily muscled shoulders and biceps.  He was
black, and it was impossible to estimate his age.  He replied,
"Nearly thirty years, General."

Kelly smiled.  "Then you're certainly from the old Army.  What do
you think of the 101st?"

He returned the smile and said, "It's become a lot better in the
last week.  May I ask the general a question?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Why are you commanding the 101st?"

"Because that's what my orders from the Chief of Staff say I am
to do.  That's the only answer I can give you."

Kelly smiled wryly and continued, "Let's face it, I have two
strikes:  First, I'm a woman.  Second, I'm a kid.  It's really a
little ridiculous to give command of a first-line assault unit to
a girl who isn't even twenty years old.  There's no precedent for
it."

"Begging the General's pardon, but there is.  Alexander the Great
conquered the known world when he was in his teens," Franklin
replied.

Kelly grinned at him and said, "I stand corrected, Sergeant
Major.  Let me amend it to say there's no precedent less than two
thousand years old.  How's that?"  She looked at him with a
question in her eyes.  "I still need to know how I'm doing with
the troops.  Will you tell me, please?"

"Ma'am, you're doing just great.  The men are 100 percent behind
you.  I thought the only way this unit could be shaped up would
be by kicking out hundreds of officers and men who aren't suited
to what we do.  You didn't do that.  Instead, you just started to
drive us and waited for the ones who couldn't hack it to quit."

He looked at her thoughtfully.  "Your way is better.  I thought I
knew who was good and who wasn't.  It turned out that I was right
on some and wrong on some -- both ways.  It seems there are some
guys I didn't think would make it.  Some of them are thriving
while others bailed out.  Then there are some officers and men I
thought were pretty good.  Some have turned out to be as good as
I expected, while others have quit.  The cream is rising to the
top.

"There's one thing, though, that everyone comments on.  Whatever
you ask us to do, you're doing faster and better.  Believe me
when I say no one can remember a division commander running past
his entire division on a five-mile run.  You really have the
respect of the men.  As far as your age is concerned, I'm not
sure how many of the men even know it.  They do know you're very
beautiful."

Franklin stopped and smiled.  "Actually, my daughter is 26 now. 
It was only a short time ago I wouldn't even let her back my car
out of the garage.  General, you don't act young.  You inspire
confidence."

Kelly's face became serious.  She said, "Sergeant Major, I'm
going to have to do something I really don't want to do.  I'm
canceling all leaves and furloughs until at least the end of
January.  I know there are a lot of men planning on going home
for Christmas but I can't let them go.  I think what we do is
important.  I think there is a tremendous combat tradition in
this unit that has been allowed to die.  If this unit isn't back
where it belongs -- a front-rank assault unit -- by the end of
January, it's going to be disbanded... permanently.  I don't want
that to happen."

Although his face remained impassive, Franklin was amazed to see
tears coming into Kelly's eyes.  She continued, "Sergeant Major,
this is my first and only command.  I'll be damned if I want to
see it go down the drain.  I'll be damned if I want to see the
Screaming Eagle go down the drain."  The tears stopped and her
voice became very firm.  "I'm sorry.  All leaves and furloughs
are canceled."

Then her expression and tone of voice changed.  "Would it help if
we had a Christmas party or a Christmas dance?  I'm not a
soldier.  I'm a dumb high-school dropout who was awarded a
diploma essentially by an act of the German parliament.  I don't
want to have a children's party for grown men.  What do you
think?"

Franklin's face remained impassive.  He said, "When will the
General get back?"

Kelly looked surprised.  "Get back from where?"

"From New York City.  That's where you live, isn't it?  I've
heard that you are New York's Debutante of the Year for this
year, and Christmas is the time for all sorts of gala society
parties."

Kelly's eyes blazed with blue fire.  "Sergeant Major, when I said
leaves and furloughs are canceled, I mean _all_ leaves and
furloughs, _particularly_ mine!  Mike and I will be celebrating
Christmas right here."

Franklin smiled.  In fact, he beamed at her.  "You still don't
understand, do you?"

"Understand what?"

"What a natural-born leader you are.  I don't think it would ever
occur to you to give an order that didn't include yourself. 
Ma'am, I've heard a lot of Kelly Jackson stories.  I'm beginning
to believe they were the truth toned down in the interests of
believability.

"I think a dance would be a fine idea.  There are many wives and
girl friends in the area.  I suggest the dance be formal.  The
NCOs would like that.  We don't get a chance to wear our dress
blues very often."  He suddenly looked concerned.  "But what
about music?" he asked.

"I am assigning the division's band to the enlisted dance," she
replied.  "We could have it in the mess hall.  I'll get a local
band for the officers' dance at the O-Club."

Franklin shook his head.  "Ma'am, that's why they'll go through
hell for you.  You automatically think of the men first.  The
idea of ordering the band to play for the officers -- standard
procedure, by the way -- never occurred to you.  The band plays
for the men, and you look elsewhere."

Franklin stood up at attention.  "Ma'am, it's a real pleasure
serving under your command."  He saluted smartly, turned on his
heel and left.

* * *

The dances were scheduled for the Saturday night before
Christmas.  Kelly and Mike were surprised that there was only
minor griping when the announcement was made that leaves and
furloughs had been canceled.  Mike kidded her about going easy on
the men the day of the dance.  Training knocked off at noon, and
there had been only a ten-mile hike that morning.

In the afternoon, Kelly and Mike toured the base together.  In
spite of the very heavy work schedule and the winter weather, the
base was starting to look very good.  They went out through one
gate and back in at another.  At both, MPs were alert and saluted
smartly.  As they entered the second gate, a private on guard
duty asked for ID, although both were in uniform.  Kelly gave him
her ID card and Mike's.

He looked at Kelly's picture and then at her.  He gave her his
very best salute and said, "General, that picture doesn't do you
justice!"

Kelly gave him a bright smile and returned the salute as smartly.
 She said, "Thank you, Carson.  But you're a flatterer!"

They drove to the mess hall where preparations were being made
for the dance and then over to the Officers' Club.  That
afternoon, Mike and Kelly treated themselves to a nap.  They
could hear the unmistakable sounds of Bill and Chris making love
in their adjacent room.  Mike pulled Kelly even closer to him and
murmured, "Remember when we were young and made love all the
time, too?  Before we became old marrieds?"

Kelly turned her head and kissed him softly.  "That was when you
were young and virile," she whispered.  "You've only cum four
times today, and already you're nearly dry."  She formed her body
to his and rested her head on his shoulder.  They both slept.

That evening Katrina and Kevin joined them for drinks.  When
Katrina saw Chris, both girls started to laugh.  They were
wearing their bridesmaids dresses from Kelly's wedding. 
Fortunately, although the dresses were the same style, the colors
were different.  Kelly was wearing the magnificent dress that had
been made for her for Katrina's wedding.

Katrina had a paper bag with her.  She looked at the dress Kelly
was wearing and smiled.  "I heard from my father.  Kelly, I think
you remember the woman who made that dress for you?  She visited
my father.  It seems she received a big box from the United
States.  It had all sorts of things that are not yet available in
Russia: needles, thread, zippers, hooks, even some dress material
-- all the things a good dressmaker needs.  There was no card or
label showing where it came from, other than from the United
States.  She doesn't know who it's from, but guessed.  She gave
my father a present to be forwarded to you.  She doesn't even
know where you are."  Katrina gave the small bag to Kelly.

Kelly removed a small rag doll from the bag.  It had dark hair
and blue eyes and was obviously a little boy.  The doll was the
size that would be the first doll an infant would hold.  Although
made from remnants, it was exquisite.  There was a note with it
that said, "Your first child will be a boy.  This is for him with
all my love."

Kelly started to cry and passed it to Mike.  She said, "Mike, she
never saw you.  She has no way of knowing you have dark hair and
blue eyes.  Darling, it's absolutely gorgeous!"  She turned to
Katrina and said, "I don't know what to say!  What can I say?"

Katrina just smiled.

They all went to the Officers' Club and took their seats at the
head table for the dinner dance.  At the request of Colonel
Holmes, the senior regimental officer, there was a receiving line
first.  Mike was amused watching Kelly greet the wives and
girlfriends of the division's officers.  They were uniformly
amazed at her youth and beauty.

When Colonel Holmes introduced his wife, the woman stopped and
looked at Kelly carefully.  She said, "I'm Trudy Holmes, General.
 I'm very pleased to meet you."

"Trudy, I would appreciate it if you would call me Kelly.  I
might be young enough to be your daughter."

Mrs. Holmes smiled warmly and said, "Our daughter is older than
you are by a few years.  Sid has told me so much about you, but I
thought he was pulling my leg.  He wasn't.  In fact, if anything,
he toned it down."

She shook her head.  "Kelly, you are unbelievable!  That's the
Gold Cross of Liberty you're wearing isn't it?"  Kelly just
nodded.  Made of almost solid gold, it was quite heavy hanging
from its ribbon.  "You are a first, Kelly.  Never in history has
someone worn the Medal of Honor anywhere other than around his
neck.  Your two are junior awards!  And all the others are medals
for valor.  Yet you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Although she was tying up the receiving line, she continued to
study Kelly.  Finally, she whispered in Kelly's ear, "Your love
life is great, isn't it?"

Kelly smiled warmly and said, "Yes, it is.  Does it show that
much?"

Trudy smiled and said, "It sure does, and on you it looks
beautiful!  You deserve every happiness."  The woman moved off,
and the line began to move again.

After an excellent dinner was consumed, Colonel Holmes arose.  He
said, "Gentlemen, I would like to propose a toast to our new
division commander, Kelly Jackson.  I only learned General
Jackson was taking over the 101st when you did.  That was less
than a month ago.  Frankly, I was shocked.  Can any of you
imagine an assault division commanded by a woman?  Correction! 
Commanded by a girl!  My wife reminded me that our daughter is
older than Kelly.

"What did we get?  We got a commanding officer who is the most
decorated hero in the history of the United States of America! 
We get a girl who doesn't seem to know how to give orders.  She
just leads, and we try to keep up.  A funny thing happened
yesterday.  I was saving the story for tonight.  Some of you know
that on the second day she was here, Kelly shot the terrorist
course on the range... with an automatic weapon.  We carefully
recorded the time and sent it along with the targets toQuantico.

"Yesterday, we got a letter from the people there.  It said,
first, the targets represent an all-time record.  Not only was it
a perfect score, but it was almost ten full seconds faster than
the previous record time.  You know what they said?  They said,
'If that course wasn't shot by Kelly Jackson, the targets are
fakes.  She's the only person alive who could possibly do it.'

"They got that right, didn't they?  There are two more things:
First, Kelly doesn't look at improvement, she looks at results. 
She's not satisfied with the results we're producing.  I happen
to know, however, that we're doing better as a unit than we've
done in at least five years.  I also know our scores are already
near the Army's top.  With Kelly, words like near and close
aren't good enough.

"Then I have to comment on her beauty.  She is without any
question the most beautiful general officer in the world.  And
she is Mrs. Michael Callahan.  We got a Christmas card today
signed, 'Kelly and Mike Callahan'.  I happen to know she's
prouder of being Mrs. Michael Callahan than of being Lieutenant
General Kelly Jackson.  We're saving that card, by the way.

"Finally, a word about our Deputy Division Commander: I feel
sorry for Mike Callahan.  Or anyway, I try to.  For those of you
who don't know, Mike's classmates at West Point are coming up for
selection to major.  Mike is a major general.  He is also the
most decorated man in the Armed Forces today.  Unfortunately, he
happens to associate with the most decorated person.  But there's
some consolation: He's also married to the most beautiful girl in
the United States.

"Ladies and gentlemen, would you please rise and join me in a
toast to General and Mrs. Michael Callahan?"

As the people rose, Mike took Kelly in his arms and kissed her. 
As usual, they heard nothing except the bells and the sensation
of electricity flowing between them.  They didn't even hear the
cheers ringing in the hall.

After they started the dancing, Mike and Kelly slipped away.  She
insisted she wanted to see how the other party was going in the
mess hall.  As they went up the steps to the mess hall, there
wasn't a soul in sight.  Kelly intended just to peer around the
corner without being seen, but suddenly, a voice bellowed,
"AttenTION!"  The Division's band that had been playing dance
music instantly shifted to the _Screaming Eagles' March,_ the
song of the 101st.

The voice over the PA system said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the
commanding officer of the 101st Airborne Division, Lieutenant
General Kelly Jackson, with the deputy division commander, her
husband, Major General Michael Callahan!"  Four men in dress
blues escorted them to the front of the room where there was a
head table on a dais.  Kelly was amazed to see two places set for
them.  When she arrived she was welcomed by Sergeant Major
Franklin.

The music had stopped, and the people had taken their seats.  The
hall became very quiet as Franklin addressed them.  "I've been in
this man's army for nearly thirty years.  Then, less than a month
ago I learned we were getting a new commanding general... a
_girl_ for chrissakes!  The folks in Washington have done some
dumb things, but this had to be the dumbest!  Do you realize
she's not even twenty years old?  Do you know her high-school
diploma is really honorary?"

Kelly started to laugh.  A man sitting close to the dais looked
at her questioningly.  She nodded vigorously.

Franklin continued, "Could you believe giving command of an
assault division to someone like that?  I couldn't either.

"I started to check around.  I've got some buddies in the 82nd. 
They knew Kelly Jackson.  One of them was the platoon sergeant in
the first unit to arrive at her position during the German
breakthrough.  Incidentally, his platoon leader was Captain Kevin
Murphy, who is now her aide.  He was a lieutenant then.  He told
me they found eighty Russians with the 'Kelly Jackson trademark'.
 I asked him what that was.  He said it's a single bullet in the
head.  It seems that in combat most men shoot towards the enemy.
A few shoot at them.  Kelly aims for their heads!

"Then I learned about some senior NCOs at Quantico.  They are the
nation's top people in unarmed combat, small arms, and
explosives.  No longer.  She is.  Then she has the unmitigated
gall to drink them all under the table.  Now I ask you, is that
fair?  Officers can do all kinds of things to us, but if it comes
to drinking, they're through.  Well, anyway, that's what the
sergeants thought.  They were wrong about that, too.  The word is
that she got them back to the barracks, undressed them... and I
mean all the way... neatly hung up their uniforms, and kissed
them goodnight!"

Kelly turned red and started to laugh.

Franklin turned to her and said, "See, she even has the nerve to
laugh!  She doesn't realize how serious this is!

"Finally, I got some taste of the kind of girl she is.  She
called me in to tell me she was canceling all leaves and
furloughs.  It seems the 101st is threatened with extinction.  We
are the only assault unit that wasn't sent to Europe... and we
all know why.  Kelly said she wasn't going to allow her first and
only command to go down the drain.

"The fact that her first command is an airborne division when
others her age are commanding squads has nothing to do with it. 
There's something else I don't think many of you know.  Kelly is
a debutante.  In fact, in this, her debutante year, she is New
York's Debutante of the Year.  I asked her how long she was going
to be gone.  That was dangerous.  You see she always carries a
handmade Smith & Wesson automatic and we know she can use it. 
There was blue fire coming from her eyes.  She said the 'no
furlough' order began with herself.

"She organized this dance.  Without a thought she gave us the
division's band.  She scrambled to find a band to play at the
O-Club at the last minute.

"Guys, she always thinks of us first.  I happen to know her
sequence: It's her husband, Mike.  He's followed by the men. 
They're followed by the officers.  She doesn't even make her
list... nowhere.  That's why we had places for them at the head
table.  I knew they would be over to be sure our dance was going
well.

"Finally, I want to call your attention to something you've never
seen before.  It's the medal Kelly is wearing around her neck. 
It's the Gold Cross of Liberty.  How do I know you've never seen
it?  Because she's wearing the only one in existence, and she's
never worn it before.  It is the highest award for valor the our
Country can give.  It goes ahead of two Medals of Honor.

"Gentlemen, please rise and offer a toast to the best damned
officer and division commander the world has ever seen!  To Kelly
Jackson!"

The hall rang to the rafters with cheering.  Kelly allowed her
head to drop as she turned red with embarrassment.  Sergeant
Major Franklin asked her to say a few words.

She said, "All I can say are three things: First, I'm sorry to
have had to cancel all furloughs.  I know how much you've been
looking forward to being home.  Second, thanks for working so
hard to help save the 101st.  Finally, Merry Christmas!"  With
that she sat down to another roar of cheers.

Franklin came over to Kelly as the music resumed, and the people
began to dance again.  He asked Kelly if he could introduce her
to his wife.  Kelly instantly agreed and looked around.  She was
surprised that Franklin's wife wasn't on the dais.  He took her
around a corner in the hall where it was quiet.  Kelly's eyes
widened.  She went up to the tall black woman standing there with
her hand extended.  The woman took it and held it.

"Mrs. Franklin, I'm Kelly Jackson.  You are the most beautiful
woman I've ever met!  You look exactly like a bust of Nefertiti
my parents have at home.  It's made of ebony."

The woman introduced herself as Selma Franklin.  She was almost
six feet tall and appeared ageless.  She had flowing black hair
and piercing brown eyes.  When she took both of Kelly's hands in
hers, her eyes appeared to lose focus as if she were staring into
space.  Suddenly the woman winced and cried out softly.  Then her
eyes focused intently on Kelly's.  It was as if the woman was
looking into her soul.

Selma said quietly, "Horace, we've found her.  This is the one."

She continued to hold Kelly's hands and smiled softly.  "This is
much better than a year ago, isn't it?"  Kelly looked puzzled and
then shocked.  Selma continued, "Last year you danced for the
KGB.  You were naked.  There were four men, each with whips,
lashing you as you danced.  One after the other, each man lay on
his back while you took him.  While you did, the other three
continued to lash you.  When you regained consciousness you were
in a pool of semen.  They forced you to lick it all up from the
floor.  And we think we're the only ones who ever experienced
slavery!"

Horace had been watching impassively.  Selma continued to hold
Kelly's hands and look at her.  Then she smiled broadly.  "Kelly,
this time next year you will have a baby boy with dark hair and
blue eyes."  Her eyes displayed a puzzled look.  She said, "I see
something very strange.  It looks like an egg.  I don't
understand."

Kelly was in a state of shock.  She said, "Selma... Mrs.
Franklin... I had completely forgotten about that night in
Germany.  How could you know?"

The woman smiled warmly.  "Kelly, it's a curse.  I can see the
past sometimes and the future sometimes.  Horace is retiring from
the army, and we will live with you and Mike.  My daughter will
cause her breasts to fill with mother's milk to help nurse your
children.  She's a beautiful girl and has breasts that are made
for nursing.  We will live with you."

"But that's crazy," Kelly protested.  "There's no way I can pay
you.  It's impossible!"

Again she saw the warm smile.  "Kelly, we can help you
financially.  You will have a lot of babies and will need the
help.  May I visit you tomorrow with my daughter?  Please?"

Kelly agreed and returned to the party at the Officers' Club. 
She didn't mention the strange conversation to Mike.Chapter 23

The next day was Sunday.  When Kelly told Mike there were some
people coming over in the afternoon, he and Kevin went off
together while Katrina came over to Kelly's.  Chris and Bill were
in Washington for the holidays.

The doorbell rang.  It was Selma Franklin and with her was a
beautiful girl who 100 years earlier would have been called a
quadroon.  Kelly showed them in and was introduced to Camille
Franklin, Selma and Horace's daughter.  Kelly continued to look
baffled as she introduced the two women to Katrina.  Selma held
Katrina's hands in both of hers and looked into her eyes in the
same way she had looked into Kelly's the night before.  Camille
looked interested but not at all surprised.

Finally Selma said to Katrina, "Would you remove your clothes,
please?"  Katrina was startled but obeyed, even though she didn't
know why.  In moments she was standing in the living room nude. 
Selma stood behind her and placed her finger tips very lightly on
the girl's abdomen.  She stood there for a moment and then smiled
a very happy smile.  "Thank you so much.  You may get dressed
now."

Katrina put her clothes on again.  Kelly had noticed how
beautiful the girl's body was now.  The only difference from the
first time Kelly saw her was that she was now in even better
physical condition.  There was just gloriously smooth tanned skin
and finely-toned muscles.  When she was dressed she looked at
Selma with an obvious question in her eyes.

"You're going to have a baby boy!  He will look like his mother
with silver-blonde hair and green eyes.  He will be fine and
sturdy, and your pregnancy and delivery will be wonderfully easy.
 I'm sure you'll want an obstetrician, but you really won't need
one.  I would be happy to deliver your baby.

Katrina and Kelly were stunned.  Katrina said, "But I can't be! 
I just had my period."

Selma smiled and said, "Merry Christmas!  My guess is you
conceived last night.  Don't worry, Mrs. Murphy.  You'll never
know it either in the exercise against the 82nd or in Central
America."

Camille smiled and said, "Please don't fight it.  I don't any
longer, in spite of now being an MD.  Mother's always right about
these things."

Kelly looked at the girl.  She had soft brown hair and blue eyes.
 She was almost six feet tall like her mother and had a
beautifully slim figure with full breasts.  She looked at the
girl's mother and then back at Camille.

The girl smiled at her and said, "Don't worry about it, General.
I don't.  You know there are essentially no pure Negroids in the
United States.  Sleeping with the slave women was a time-honored
pastime for years.  Every so often there's a genetic sport like
me.  My parents are both as black as the ace of spades.  People
usually think I'm white."

While she was talking, the girl was casually shedding her
clothes.  She stood nude in front of Kelly and was breathtakingly
beautiful.  "I hope you'll allow me to nurse your little boy,"
she said.  She cupped her breasts and showed them to Kelly.  They
were absolutely magnificent with small pink nipples.

Kelly just shook her head in utter disbelief.  "I don't believe
I'm hearing what I'm hearing.  Your mother said something about
your breasts filling with milk.  But you're not pregnant.  How
can you?  I'm totally lost."

The girl just smiled as she dressed again.  "As for the milk,
modern science is wonderful.  My body can receive motherhood
signals without me being a mother.  As for my mother, I can't
really explain it.  She has certain powers no one understands. 
My mother doesn't cause things to happen; she can just tell when
they will.  Please don't let it bother you."  The girl smiled a
very happy smile that turned into a grin.  "Kelly, don't sweat
it.  I guess maybe the reason I'm now a doctor is I tried to
figure Mom out.  I finally gave up."

The women all took seats and Kelly served tea.  Selma produced
sweet cakes of a type Kelly had never seen.  They were marvelous.
 Kelly marveled at how relaxed the mother and daughter were.  In
fact, it seemed to Kelly that Selma was much more relaxed than
she had been the previous evening.

Camille continued, "General, here is the way it will work: Mother
will be the cook and housekeeper.  Dad will act as butler,
xhaffeur, gardener, and bodyguard.  I'll be the maid and nurse. 
Of course, I'll also provide the family medical care.  I'm Board
certified in Family Medicine.  We discussed it and thought that
$1,000 a month or maybe a bit more should be about right, if
that's okay with you."

Kelly looked at her in utter astonishment.  "But Camille, a good
cook in New York gets at least $500 a week!  $1,000 a month is
absolutely ridiculous!"

Camille's mouth formed an "O," and she grinned at her mother. 
"Kelly, I'm sorry!  I wasn't clear.  The $1,000 is what we pay
you!  Of course, we'll also chip in on the food and the utilities
and stuff, but do you think that will work?"

Kelly slumped back in her chair, utterly defeated.  "I give up. 
I get a retired sergeant major as butler, chauffeur, gardener and
bodyguard.  I get his wife as a cook and housekeeper.  I get his
daughter... a beautiful doctor, for chrissakes... as a wet nurse
and maid, and they pay me!

Camille grinned happily and said, "That's about it!  What do you
think?"

"I thought slavery went out about 120 years ago.  Why are you
doing this?"

Selma spoke for the first time.  "Because of you, Kelly, and your
friends.  You and Katrina look like sisters: the gold and silver
twins.  You ended the Cold War... and the short-lived hot one. 
You achieved freedom for the Russian people.  You enabled the
reunification of Germany.  You're going to put a big dent in the
drug trade.  And you're only nineteen years old!

"If you were a man, or if you were an older woman, we would not
be doing this.  Instead, you are a beautiful young woman who
needs to give birth to lots of beautiful babies who will grow
strong and smart.  At the same time, Kelly, our country needs
you, too.  My husband spent his entire adult life in the service
of his country.  Camille and I just volunteered to help out. 
We're ready to start now.  First, would you like us to wear
uniforms?  If so, what sort would you like us to buy?"

Kelly looked at the two women and began to cry softly.  Her head
was shaking from side to side as her tears started to flow. 
Selma jumped up and went to the sofa.  She sat next to Kelly,
took the girl in her arms and comforted her.  Then the woman
placed her fingers at a particular position on the nape of
Kelly's neck.

Almost immediately she relaxed and went to sleep.  Selma got up
and seemingly without effort, picked the girl up and carried her
up to her bedroom.  She removed Kelly's clothes and looked over
her body.  Selma winced as she saw the scars that still showed
where she had been whipped.

She covered the girl and left the room.  Returning to the living
room, she asked Katrina, "Captain Murphy, will you and your
husband be joining the Callahans for dinner this evening?  I
sincerely hope you will."

Katrina had been shaking her head in utter amazement.  Finally
she said, "You're sure I'm... pregnant?  I'm going to have
Kevin's child?"

Selma's smile was brilliant.  "You certainly are!  And he will
grow strong and handsome like his father... and yours!  Field
Marshal... President Solov will overflow with happiness to learn
he is going to be a grandfather and he will adore his grandson!"

Katrina looked at Selma in amazement.  "How did you know that? 
Here I'm just known as the other Captain Murphy.  How could you
possibly know?"

"That you're the daughter of the President of Russia?  I don't
know how I know.  I just do.  You are, aren't you?"

Camille smiled and said, "May I call you Katrina?  Please don't
fight it.  Now, will you be here for dinner?  I can tell you as a
physician that there is absolutely no reason for you to stop
drinking yet!  Perhaps we could have a small celebration?  And
why don't you take a nap now?  You've been working very hard?"

Katrina hadn't felt at all tired until Camille mentioned a nap;
suddenly she could hardly keep her eyes open.  She lay down on a
bed in one of the spare bedrooms.

At five o'clock, Mike returned home and Kevin was with him. 
Camille greeted him at the door and she said, "Good evening,
General, Captain.  I'm Camille Franklin, Sergeant Major
Franklin's daughter.  I'm working here now.  May I take your hats
and coats?"

Although Fort Campbell is located right on the Kentucky-Tennessee
line, it was a very cold and bitter day.  Mike was dumfounded to
find this beautiful young woman in his house, but he gave the
girl his hat and coat as did Kevin.  They went into the living
room and found a very cheery fire burning in the fireplace. 
Moments later Camille returned with two very dry martinis and a
plate of exquisite canapes.  She told them that the women would
be down in a few moments.

A few minutes later Kelly and Katrina entered the room.  Both
looked lovely.  Kelly felt wonderfully relaxed and fully rested
for the first time since she had taken over the 101st.

Mike, glancing at Camille's receding back, asked, "Kel, what's
going on?"

Kelly gave him a rueful smile and said, "Honey, I don't have the
foggiest idea.  But give me a couple of minutes.  I'll see if I
can find out."

She went out to the kitchen and found Selma and Camille were
putting the last touches on a banquet.  The dining room was set
for four places using Kelly's best dinner service.  Selma was
standing at the range, and Kelly kissed her lightly.  "I don't
know what you did, but I haven't felt this good since my
honeymoon.  You made one mistake, though.  There aren't enough
places set at the table.  It should be set for seven."

Selma turned in shock.  "I didn't know!  I'm terribly sorry.  I
didn't realize you had invited other guests."

Kelly smiled and said, "There's you, Camille, and the Sergeant
Major.  With us, that's seven.  Now, although you look like you
have absolutely everything done, what can Katrina and I do to
help?"

Selma looked genuinely shocked.  "But General, that's the most
ridiculous thing I've ever heard!  The hired help don't eat in
the dining room!"

"That may be true, but you most certainly are not the hired help.
 I still can't get over what you're trying to do for us.  Now get
on the telephone and tell your husband to get over here.  It's
only appropriate that we have a Sunday dinner with the division's
senior noncommissioned officer and his family.  That will be the
division commander, the deputy commander, and the senior NCO with
families.  Now get to it!  And by the way: no uniform!"

Horace Franklin looked sheepish as he stood at the door.  Kelly
had opened it and the first thing he did was to shake his head
and say, "General, it's not right!  Generals don't entertain
enlisted men in their homes."

Kelly led him into the living room after hanging his coat and
hat.  His daughter got him a beer, and he sat on a
straight-backed chair looking very uncomfortable.  Selma and
Camille brought in glasses of white wine and sat down.  They were
both very relaxed.

Kelly just looked at him with her face impassive.  Finally she
said, "Sergeant Major, didn't you say you had served in the Army
for nearly thirty years?"

"Yes, ma'am.  I sure have."

"Well, then, Sergeant Major," Kelly said with a smile, "You have
served for more months than I have served days.  You are the
senior enlisted man on the post.  I need all the help I can
get... most particularly including any tips you would care to
pass on.  Now, if that isn't the way things were done in the old
Army, you'll just have to humor the three stars on my shoulder
because I wasn't even a gleam in my parents eyes when you first
enlisted.  Come to think of it, I'm not sure my mother had even
reached puberty!"

Horace reddened, and his wife and daughter laughed delightedly. 
Selma said, "Horace, I'm afraid Kelly has you there! 
Incidentally, we're still trying to negotiate some arrangement. 
She drives a very hard bargain.  We've agreed to call her Kelly.
Otherwise she threatened to call us Mrs. Franklin and Doctor
Franklin.  So I'm afraid you'll have to call her Kelly, too."

Kelly and Katrina had tried to help but were shooed out of the
kitchen.  Selma claimed she was not going to share credit for the
dinner she had slaved over with a couple of young twits.  She
said it with a broad smile.  The dinner was absolutely
spectacular.  As she was serving, Camille mentioned quietly to
Kelly that her mother could handle any kind of cuisine at all. 
What she cooked was strictly a function of what they wished to
eat.

*  *  *

On Christmas eve Mike and Kelly came home at four o'clock to find
the house decorated for Christmas.  When they entered the living
room and saw the tree, they were stunned.  It was covered with
ornaments, each a small work of art.  Obviously, they had come
from all over the world.  When she asked Selma, the woman merely
shrugged and said they were gifts from the men.  Word had gone
out there were no decorations for the tree.  It seems that in a
division of 17,000 men there were men who had served almost
everywhere in the world.  Many of them had picked up ornaments. 
There were over 500 of them, and no one had given more than one.

The Christmas Eve dinner was a festive delight.  After dinner
they were sitting in the living room, when they heard singing
outside.  Kelly went to the door with Mike.  There, in front of
the house were over 200 men and women from the 101st singing
Christmas carols.  It was a beautifully cold night with snow
starting to fall.  Mike and Kelly grabbed their coats and went
outside to join in the caroling.

* * *

On Christmas afternoon the doorbell rang.  Kelly went to answer
it and found a middle-aged couple standing on the steps.  She
invited them in.  The man introduced himself as Jasper Jenkins,
mayor of the town closest to Fort Campbell.  With him was his
wife, Margaret.  She offered them egg nog and some of the
beautiful Christmas cookies Selma had baked.

They were seated and were starting to relax, although Jenkins was
obviously very nervous.  After an exchange of pleasantries, he
got to the point.  The couple had been looking at Kelly and Mike
with their eyes as wide as saucers.  Finally Jenkins said,
"General, on behalf of our town and the town council, I want to
thank you for all you're doing out here."

Kelly was genuinely surprised and said so.  She said she didn't
understand why the town would know or care what she and Mike were
doing.  Jenkins gave her a small smile and admitted no one did
know exactly what they were doing, but they appreciated the
change.

"What change?" Kelly asked.

"The change in behavior and attitude of your men.  Ma'am, until
you came, the men of the 101st were like a bunch of bears with
toothaches.  There were more brawls and problems in town than we
could count."  He looked a little puzzled himself as he added,
"It was almost like the men were ashamed of the 101st and ashamed
of feeling ashamed."  He looked at her and shook his head.  "I
know it doesn't make much sense, but that's the way we felt."

"What's the attitude now?" Kelly asked.

"Now, they're the proudest men we ever did see!"  His diffidence
was forgotten as his enthusiasm started to take over.  "Why if
you're in Kelly Jackson's 101st, you're in the best damned outfit
in the world!"

As he said it, he turned red.  "Excuse the language, ma'am.  They
serve under the most decorated officers in the whole Army.  Why
the Congress even had to create a new medal for Kelly Jackson. 
She had already won every medal for bravery and valor we have,
and most of 'em, twice.  Mike Callahan is the youngest general in
the army since the Civil War!  If it wasn't for his wife, Kelly,
He would be the most decorated officer, himself.

"We used to have a terrible time trying to hold on to police
officers.  They used to be regularly beat up by the men of the
101st.  Do you know what happened last Saturday might?  A few of
your men were a little noisy in a bar.  Now, that little noise
would have been as quiet as a tomb before you came, o' course. 
We didn't even used to make an entry on the police blotter if the
establishment hadn't been destroyed!  But a single police officer
went into that bar.  Do you know what he said?  He said if they
didn't quiet down a good bit, he would have to report it to
General Jackson.  My God!  You'd have thought he was going to
shoot them!  It seems that it isn't punishment.  There's really
no sign anyone gets punished.  It's letting you down!

"Ma'am, we apologize for interrupting your Christmas and all, but
we thought you might like to know how you're regarded by your
men.  They worship the ground you walk on.  You've ridden them
hard but they're proud!  Proud of themselves, proud of the 101st,
but most of all proud to serve under General Kelly Jackson.  They
would follow you to hell.  Kelly Jackson is the best damned
commanding officer in the history of the Army, except maybe for
George Washington, and frankly, I think you would beat him.

"All we hear in town is how you work the men.  Some of the girls
thought the men were complaining.  Then they realized they were
bragging.  And always we hear how you and Mike Callahan are out
in front.  Why every person in town has heard how you and Mike
ran past the entire Division on a five-mile double-time march the
very first day.  How whatever it is you ask them to do, you do it
first and do it better!"  Jenkins got up to go.  He shook hands
with Mike and Kelly.

His wife shook hands, too, but then took Kelly in her arms and
kissed her.  She said softly, "God bless you!"  They quickly took
their leave.

Kelly and Mike sat in the living room.  Mike was smiling at her,
and she was shaking her head.  He said, "Darling, I told you
you're good.  It's such a shame you have no idea how good you
really are!"

Just then the doorbell rang.  Again, Kelly went to answer it. 
She found the visitor was Major John Collins, the Catholic
chaplain on the base.  She invited him in and offered him some
egg nog and cookies.  They had seen Father Collins at Christmas
mass that morning, and he had seen them.

He said, "I came to wish you both a very merry Christmas.  I also
have something I have been asked to deliver to you."  He reached
into a bag and brought out a package for Kelly.

She opened it and found it was a gift from the Pope himself.

Collins explained, "The Pope is aware that you are both Catholic.
 Kelly, he is also aware of the tortures you suffered at the
hands of the KGB.  As you know, he's Polish.  He has excellent
information sources.  He may be the only person still alive who
knows in some detail exactly what happened to you while you were
a prisoner.  You know we have been praying for the conversion of
Russia since 1918.  You achieved it.  He has been praying for the
freedom of Poland.  You achieved it.  The Germans have been
praying for reunification of their country.  You achieved it.

"In the Pope's opinion, you have achieved more of value to the
Church than any woman in history.  And you did it all with a
spirit of magnanimity and unselfishness that is unprecedented. 
He considers you to be a model for women everywhere.  He asked me
to present you with this framed blessing.  It's quite small,
really, but it's very sincere.  By private Papal decree, issued
throughout the world by his bishops, all priests and religious
are instructed to pray for you two every day.  He's very serious
about it.  He hopes you will visit the Vatican when you're in
Europe again.  Needless to say, you will have a private audience
at any time you can visit."

Kelly looked at the framed scroll.  It looked like any number of
similar things on sale at religious book stores around the world.
 Then she read it carefully.  It was hand illuminated for Mike
and her.  It was signed by the Pope and it extended to them his
personal best wishes for continued health and happiness and
formally acknowledged their massive contribution to world peace.

Kelly said goodbye to Father Collins.  After they went back to
the sofa and sat down, Kelly looked at the small document and
read it again, carefully.  Tears started rolling down her cheeks.
 "Please hold me, Mike," she said plaintively.

Later that day she suggested to Mike and Franklin that they begin
Spanish language instruction for the troops with emphasis on
Central American pronunciation.

To be concluded.

* * *

Comments and constructive criticism are sincerely welcome.  Let
me hear from you.  morg105829@aol.com

"Kelly"  Copyright 1989, 1998, 2001 by Morgan. 
<morg105829@aol.com>

All rights reserved.  No part may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any electronic means, including photocopying,
recording or by any information and retrieval system, without the
written permission of the author. <1st attachment end>


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