11/12/14
Captain Rhonda Hayes inhaled deeply and smiled. It was good to breathe American air again. She had just deplaned from the troop transport and was walking along with the other soldiers who had earned a furlough home. The military airport named MilTranHub-6 never looked so good. They entered the main terminal to have their identification chips scanned before continuing on to their final destinations. Rhonda smiled as she bypassed the crowded lines of grunts and non-coms, and entered a room marked “officers only.”
A young second lieutenant rushed over and guided her through the thermal scanner and chip reader. Then, after checking his electronic pad, he directed her to Staging Area A2 to await her next transportation.
She was glad to see this waiting area was nearly empty. Once she was comfortable she tried to nap, but her mind was racing with thoughts. She was relieved she was finally home and would soon be reunited with her husband Rob. But why hadn’t he been answering the phone the past few days? She hadn’t been able to tell him yet she was being discharged. Her mind then turned to the circumstances of that turn of events.
General Schwartz had been very reluctant for her to resign her commission. He didn’t like losing his best strategist, as he put it. It was true that nearly every mission she planned and directed made greater advances and had far fewer casualties than those planned by any other strategist. But in the end he had consented when she told him she’d had enough of the war and needed to get away from it.
The United States and China were in a hot war with each other and the Korean Peninsula was the battleground, just like a hundred years ago. Only this time the hostilities were over financial issues rather than political ones. Still, no matter how it had started it was costing both sides a lot of lives and there was no sign either was ready to slow down.
The sound of a large group approaching caused Rhonda to open her eyes. It looked like a busload of new conscripts on their way to basic training. They were still in civilian clothes, but must already be the property of Uncle Sam to be in this airport.
As she scanned their faces her stomach clenched. She knew that every one of them was no more than cannon fodder. The meat grinder of the front line skirmishes was cutting down troops almost as fast as they could be replaced. Nearly no one was exempt from front line duty, not even officers. The only personnel who were always kept in the non-combat areas were those in Intelligence and Tactics. This was how Rhonda had stayed alive. But now with the end of her service, the danger was behind her.
The new arrivals had finished entering the waiting area and were settling into seats around the room when one of the faces caught her eye. Could it be? What in the world was he doing here? She got up quickly and hurried across the room.
“Rob?!” she gasped in disbelief. “Is that you? What are you doing here?”
“Rhonda? Hey! Babe,” he said equally surprised and grabbed her in a hug. “I could ask you the same. What are you doing here?”
“I’m home, honey. I’m done over there. I’ve been trying to call you, but you haven’t answered.”
“Oh, well that’s the thing. Um, I’ve, I don’t know how to tell you. I’ve been drafted.”
“What?!” Rhonda shrieked.
“Yeah. I got the notice a few days ago. I tried to call you, but my phone went out at the same time. I contacted the service provider about it, and they said they’d been hacked and ten thousand phones had to be deactivated. They said they’d give me a new account, but with the backlog it’ll take a few days. I guess by the time it’s back on I won’t be needing it.”
“No,” she shook her head vigorously. “No! This can’t be happening. You’ll be killed.”
“It’s no different than everyone else going,” he said.
“That’s exactly the problem. Don’t you know? As a draftee you’ll only be a private. Front line duty.” She dropped her voice as she saw a hundred pairs of eyes listening to their conversation. “No one lasts more than a few weeks on the front lines. Trust me. I’ve seen it.”
“But what can I do? There’s no choice. They pulled my number.”
“This is too weird. You’re age puts you almost past eligibility. Why take you when you’re so close? Something’s going on here.”
Rob glanced around the room and noticed for the first time that he was more than ten years older than every other conscript. He also noticed the fear on the young faces close enough to have heard Rhonda.
She went on. “And how is it you happen to be going through this same airport at exactly the same time I’m here? This is too much of a coincidence. Hold on.”
She pulled her phone out of her pack and punched in a long string of numbers. A few moments later she spoke into it.
“Hello. Captain Rhonda Hayes for General Schwartz, please. Yes, sir.”
She whispered to Rob, “He’ll know what to do.” Then she turned her attention back to the phone.
“Good morning, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, I did. Thank you, sir. Yes, there is, I have a problem here. A big problem and I need your help.”
It took only a few minutes to explain her plight and to hear the general’s suggestion.
“But, sir. You already know how I feel. I know it’s wartime, but. No! No, I don’t want him going in.” The change in her tone from alarm to resignation was distinct. “Is it the only way? Yes, sir. A month? Thank you, sir.”
After she finished the call she turned to Rob and embraced him tightly. He was eager to hear what had been said; as were a dozen eavesdropping rookies. She released her clutch on Rob and explained.
“I knew it!” she hissed. “It was him. He didn’t admit it, but I could tell by his tone of voice. He arranged all this. For you to be drafted and even for us to meet here by ‘coincidence’. That’s his way.”
“But why would he go to so much trouble,” Rob asked.
“He did it to get me back. He had you drafted because I resigned. But if I’ll return to service, he’ll let you go home.”
“Oh, honey,” Rob said. “I can’t let you do that. You’ve already done your duty. Now it’s my turn.”
“No! Didn’t you hear me before? You’d go directly to the front lines, and you’d never come back. At least my work is in the rear areas. So, no there’s nothing to discuss.”
“But what about us?” Rob asked as he took her hand in his.
“He’ll give me a month furlough before I have to report back,” she said. “That’ll give him time to rescind my resignation and revoke your conscription. I’ll also be promoted to major.”
She slung her pack over her shoulder and put her hand in his elbow, then headed toward the door.
“Let’s just make the most of the time we have.”
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