Brigadier General Joananne Roberts, U.S. Army, watched as the column of her trucks moved down the highway headed toward Mississippi and Louisiana to help with the hurricane relief. The column was made up of Humvees, 6X6s and big semi-tractor trailers. She sat in her command Humvee and watched as her Operations Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Murphy, counted vehicles. She held back a smile. She admired the man. He was a much-decorated combat veteran. He was older than she was by a couple of years. He had started as an enlisted man and she was a West Pointer. She knew she had advanced very rapidly because of several factors. She was a very pretty black female lesbian and was gifted with a brilliant mind. She spoke four languages fluently. She had been in the right places at the right times and was a darling of the NAACP and Woman's Rights Groups and Gay and Lesbian's Rights Groups even though she never once voiced their policies. She was totally apolitical.
Murphy glanced up at her after the last vehicle passed and said, "All accounted for. Three missing. One wouldn't start, two with flat tires being repaired by their crews. They will be herded together by 2nd Lt. Franklin and brought along."
"Thank you, Mike. Good job. Let's move on down the road." She turned and looked back at her communications sergeant, "Where is the eye of Katrina now?"
"It is reported just crossing the coast a little west of New Orleans right now. Ma'am."
She looked at LCOL Murphy. "That should put us right on time at the staging point. Right?"
"Yes General, we are right on schedule." One of the things she liked about him was that he was always cheerful and upbeat in his professional life. She knew that in his private life he was very morose and sad. He was able to keep his two lives separate. She admired that because she struggled in her personal relationships too. She hoped she covered it as well as he did.
The long line of camouflaged vehicles was strung out for miles in the right lane of the super highway. Her hummer rode in the left lane with the faster civilian traffic. She wanted to catch up with the lead Humvee carrying her Deputy Commander. She had two other convoys strung out behind her that had been loaded at other places. This first convoy carried primarily food, water and fuel.
Joananne leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment. She thought of Marie, her girlfriend who had left her a few months ago, after eleven years of living together when ever possible. Marie said she couldn't handle the separations and the constant moving from base to base involved in Army life. She felt a tear run down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. She saw Mike Murphy nod, then slowly look away. Murphy thought she was very lovely. Her large brown eyes set in the light brown face had always enchanted him. He loved the way she carried her slim body. There were subtle hints of lovely curves hidden by her bulky uniforms.
Her command hummer was in the lead when they pulled in the huge parking area of the staging point. She and mike met with the over all commander and were given the delivery points for each group of trucks. The weather had deteriorated badly and even though the storm was well north of them it was still windy and raining. The Major General in command requested that She and Mike proceed to the west and try and find out the condition of the roads to the west and down towards Pass Christian and Waveland.
They had a meal, refueled and departed with four vehicles, each loaded with extra fuel cans. Two trucks had ten men each and with chain saws and axes. The last truck carried MREs and other supplies for the troops in the little convoy. They were in constant radio contact with the Area Commander.
As they neared the coast the devastation grew. Trees and wires were down everywhere. The destruction was widespread and there was no way the convoys could get through. Joananne advised the Area Commander that she would need a crew of engineers with heavy equipment in order to cut a road through to the coast highway.
She told him that every road they tried was blocked but that they would leave a crew working to try and open Route 49 while she went down I-10 to see if the road they showed as Canal Road was open to the south. She advised headquarters that she had little hope any roads were open anywhere along the area.
They did make it a ways down what they thought was Canal Road, then it was blocked. They turned around and started back when part of the road caved in under the Humvee. It rolled over in a washed out ditch and landed back on its wheels. The radioman was killed when he was thrown from the vehicle. The driver appeared to have a broken leg. The General and LCOL Murphy were not hurt other than some lumps and bruises. The general noticed a tear in Mike's sleeve with blood around it and asked if he were all right. He said it was nothing. They cared for the driver and put an inflatable splint on his leg. They used a shelter half to wrap up the radioman's body. They found the radios were operational and they were advised that rescue was on its way by helicopter.
Mike Murphy looked at the General, "What were we supposed learn that they couldn't have learned from a chopper in the first place?"
"I don't know Mike, we could have checked out the whole area and have been on our way home by now."
"General, are you alright? You are shaking. Here let me put my arms around you for a second."
Murphy stood close to her and put his arms around her. She put her head on his chest and cried for a few minutes. He buried his nose in her sweet smelling hair. He pressed his lips against her forehead and softly rubbed her back. Suddenly she stiffened and jumped back, staring at him. She quickly looked around. "Mike, that never happened, understand?"
"Yes Ma'am! What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about me falling apart, that didn't occur, right?"
"You are correct General, it never happened. I will swear to that. If there was anything that happened it was only a delightful dream on my part." He grinned at her.
"Thanks Mike."
"Not a problem, Ma'am."
"Mike, to be honest, your dream did feel good and calmed me right down."
"General you would have been fine without my dream. You are a very tough lady. I am proud to serve with you."
"She smiled at him, "Mike, that means more to me coming from you than I can tell you. Thank you again."
"Any time, Ma'am."
The doctors at the staging point examined them all and LCOL Murphy was found to have a puncture wound in his left biceps. The wound was cleaned. It required four stitches and he was bandaged and cleared to leave. He was surprised to find General Roberts waiting for him outside the Medical Tent.
"Mike, how are you feeling, why didn't you tell me you were hurt? Now you have me all pissed off at you."
