“Who has the watch?” asked Hustvedt.
“Colonel Davis right now. He’s over reading the message traffic.”
“Okay, then you drag your ass to bed. I already warned you not to try and do it all yourself. I need you back here fit as a fiddle by 0300 so we can keep track of all this. So hit the bricks,” Hustvedt said with a grin.
“I never argue with my superiors,” said Jeffers as he stood and gathered a couple of things. “Good night,” he said.
Hustvedt and Richardson watched him leave. “Chris, he has his shit together better than half the people around here including the senior officers,” said Richardson.
“I agree. Roger Hammond told me he was flag officer material and I believe him. He is smart, gets the job done, has an uncanny ability to lead people and has the personality of the boy next door. Hell, I wish I could promote him myself, but he already got deep selected once. I doubt anyone could do it again. If I thought it would do him some good, I’d let you take him along just to get the experience,” said Hustvedt.
“Oh no, don’t do that. I need people around me trained to pound ground and shoot people. The way he goes at things, he would get himself killed,” she said, “in a most heroic fashion. We need him just where he is. But I will say he will be fun to watch after this is over with. Imagine what he might do in command of a ship or fleet,” she said with a wistful look in her eyes.
***
As Jeffers came up to his stateroom he saw someone standing opposite his door. It was his friend Evan Chambers. “What are you doing out here?” Jeffers asked in a low tone.
“Just wanted to talk a second, if you don’t mind,” Chambers said. He had a worried look on his face.
“Shouldn’t you be getting some rest?”
Chambers smiled a weak smile. “Yea, but I have something on my mind.”
Jeffers opened his door. “Come on in,” he said.
The two entered the room and Jeffers plopped down in a chair. “What’s up Evan?”
Chambers sat in the other chair. “It’s kind of hard to say. I’ve been worrying lately about what we’re getting ready to do and what might happen. It’s got me a little afraid,” he said.
“Yea, well, I guess that proves you’re normal. Everybody I know has gotten a little on edge. We just can’t let it get us down,” Jeffers said.
“No, it’s more than that. You see, ever since I came aboard, you are the only one of these jokers I really consider a friend. We’ve been together a long time and my fear is that you might get hurt. After you left the Kings Mountain, I felt alone. Yea, I had others I was friends with but you’ve always kind of been there for me and got me through things. Remember when I was an Ensign and you helped bail me out when my chief was having problems? Or the times you helped me with my surface warfare quals? You never seemed to resent having me around or when I bothered you. Although I have a brother and sister, you’re the closest thing to family I’ve felt in a long time. So you see, I’m not worried about what might happen to me. I’m worried I might lose you,” he said with some emotion. “You’re my best friend.”
Jeffers could see the emotion clouding Chamber’s face. He never knew that Evan felt this way. Yes, Chambers was his best friend. Fortunately, he made friends easily and never had to worry about not having friends around. Chambers was a little different. He was shy and cautious. But when he did make a friend, Jeffers knew it was for life. He stood and pulled his friend in for a hug, wrapping his arms around him and patting him on the back. They stood together for a moment before Jeffers said, “Thanks, man. But don’t worry about me. We’re both too stubborn to get killed. We’re going to be friends till the very end,” he said. Jeffers looked him in the eye. “Besides, I want you to be there to be an uncle to my children. I may even name my first boy after you.”
Chambers laughed. “Not if I name mine first,” he said.
Both men had tears in their eyes now and Chambers pulled him in for another hug, holding Jeffers tightly. “Once again, you pulled me out of a problem,” said Chambers with a forced chuckle.
“That’s my job. Besides, we have to stay around just to play our music and annoy your Captain,” said Jeffers. They both laughed this time. Jeffers placed his hand on the side of Chambers’ face. “Now go get some sleep. We’re both going to be busy tomorrow.”
Chambers looked visibly relieved. He nodded and turned toward the door. “See you in the morning,” he said as he left the stateroom.
Chapter 13
Going on the Offensive
The early morning hours were disturbed by the sounds of turboprop engines and jets cruising overhead. Most people living in the farms along southern Georgia were having a difficult time just keeping warm. Few bothered to get out of the bed to see what was going on. Then one came very close to one of the farmhouses, frightening the family inside and causing them to get up and rush to the windows. In the dim moonlight they could see thousands of figures in the sky drifting downward. A second close flyby and a large aircraft zoomed past the cottage and dropped something very big out of its back end.
Within a minute, there was a knock at the door. The father pulled on some pants and made his way to the door, cautiously opening it. To his surprise, it was a soldier in a camouflage uniform. He was carrying a rifle. “Excuse me, sir,” the man said in Russian. “We don’t mean to frighten you, but we are making a landing here. If you would, please keep your family inside. Once we are ready, I will let you know when it is safe to come out,” he said.
The older man nodded. “I understand. Who are you?”
“Sir, I’m Lieutenant Kendrick of the United States Eighty Second Airborne Division. There will be a lot of us dropping in tonight, so please stay safe,” he said as he turned and left.
The man didn’t know what to think. He knew that his homeland was being invaded, but the young man was very nice about it. He even was concerned for the safety of his family. He shrugged to himself. There was nothing he could do about the invasion, so he would do as the man asked and stay inside where it was safe.
“What is it Papa?” asked his wife from the bedroom.
“It appears we are being invaded, Mama. Go back to bed.” He then sat down beside the window and watched as the invaders floated down like angels. Several went to the large item dropped from the plane and within a few minutes he saw the outline of a tank drive off toward the south. Several more also went by, followed by some trucks. By now his whole family was at the windows watching. As some of the men walked by, they waved at his children. As the sun rose, the valley the farmer lived in had been turned into an armed camp. He saw someone coming toward the cottage with a box. The man knocked at the door. Once again the old farmer answered it.
The smiling face was back. “Good morning. I hope we are not disturbing you too much. We had an extra box of food we would like to share with your family. It appears we will be leaving soon, but we hope we have not inconvenienced you in any way,” Kendrick said.
The older farmer was still having trouble understanding all that was happening. “You have invaded our country and you bring us this? I do not understand,” he stammered out.
“Well, sir, you didn’t start the war, your government did. If you are like my father, all you want to do is take care of your family. We don’t want to make war on someone doing the right thing. Once this is over, I hope we will all be friends again,” Kendrick said.
The farmer extended his hand. “Thank you for helping my family,” he said.
Lieutenant Kendrick smiled and bid the man farewell, then walked a few feet away where some other soldiers were standing. They all looked so young, the farmer thought. His little girl came and stood beside him. Several of the soldiers waved at her. One even walked over and said hello to both of them. He spoke English, so the farmer didn’t understand. The young man took off his helmet and reached into his pocket. He handed the little girl a Hershey bar. She took it and said “Spasiva.”