From: Coast2C@aol.com Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 21:30:30 -0400 Message-ID: <960430212941_387226786@emout15.mail.aol.com> Subject: Convergence: Part 20 of 25 Convergence by Dana Anderson Part 20 of 25 (Author's Notes and Disclaimer found in Part 1) * * * * When Jenna, and Al for that matter, recovered from the strain of the retelling of her ordeal it was late afternoon. "Let's go for a walk" Jenna suggested. "I feel like I haven't seen the outside world for months." They left the complex and, without discussing it, walked to the low shelf of rock where Al had found her the night of the Christmas party. The two of them sat down and leaned back against the mountain to watch the sunset. Al lit a cigar and Jenna alternately watched the colors of the sky changing and the patterns his exhaled smoke made in the air. They sat quietly for nearly half an hour. As the last light of the sunset began to fade, the night chill of the desert made them shiver and they rose to return inside. "So," Al said as they walked side by side back to the entrance "how was your day?" Jenna smiled at the reminder of the earlier encounter. "I've had worse" she replied. Al halted and turned toward her. They had reached the edge of the parking lot, but were still out of sight of the guards in the dim light of nightfall. Al took Jenna in his arms. "You'll have better, too, if I have anything to say about it." He bent forward and kissed her. Just as Jenna responded and Al abandoned himself completely to the effort, the lights in the parking lot snapped on. A chorus of appreciative whistles and a round of applause was audible from the direction of the entrance to the complex. The couple released their embrace and looked toward the doorway. The two guards and several project employees on the way to their cars continued the noisy ovation. "I thought you said Sam was the one with rotten timing" Jenna said. "There's nothing wrong with my timing" Al insisted. He put his arm around her shoulders as they walked back inside. * * * * They had a quiet dinner in Al's quarters. Neither of them was particularly hungry and Al finally got tired of looking at the half empty soup plates. By the time he had cleared the table and rinsed out the plates, he heard water running in the bathroom. When he went to investigate, he found Jenna in a tub full of suds. "Hey, be careful" he objected. "Why didn't you wait until I could help you? You might have slipped and hurt yourself." "If you intend to save me from drowning in this treacherous twelve inches of water you'd better get in here" Jenna urged. Al stood fully clothed in the center of the bathroom. He looked at her uncertainly and rubbed his hands up and down the sides of his trousers. "I don't know. Sam said no strenuous activity." "I'm pretty sure a bath would be on an approved list of relaxing pastimes" Jenna said. "It's not the bath I'm worried about, exactly" Al replied. "Have it your way" Jenna conceded and began soaping herself. It was more than Al could handle. He stripped down, tossing his clothes behind him onto the bedroom floor. He stepped carefully into the bathtub and sat down behind her, his legs stretched out on either side of hers. * * * * (Note: Yes, another X-rated scene edited out by the author. It still lives on my hard drive but will never see the light of the Internet. Hope your imaginations are enjoying the exercise.) * * * * "One of these days we're going to be sorry that you overcame my better judgment" Al warned her. "Let's hope that day is a long time in coming" Jenna replied. They climbed out of the tub, dried each other off and straightened up the bathroom. When they entered the bedroom Al stopped Jenna before she could get into bed. "Enough for one day, right?" he asked. "Or do I have to send you back to your own quarters?" "On my honor" Jenna promised. Al slept lightly again, in case the nightmares returned. Jenna slumbered quietly in his arms through the entire night. * * * * Sam and Al spent the next morning going over a list of project personnel. They compiled a short list of people who were essential to the project, even during a period of decreased activity while Sam would be scrutinizing Ziggy's programming. The much longer list, about seventy five per cent of the current payroll, would be placed on leave or furlough after the more mundane tasks of the overhaul were completed in about three weeks. "It's a good thing that, with you not leaping, Ziggy's excess computing capacity is at an all time high" Al remarked. "With the reduction in payroll in a month and the extra income from time share customers, we should be able to stay on a break even basis while you're psychoanalyzing her. The powers that be don't like it when their money appears to be going for nothing. They don't seem to mind spending exorbitant amounts of cash for the most ridiculous things, but nothing can be a real problem." "I suppose the overhaul will make your annual pilgrimage to Washington a little more difficult this year" Sam said. "Not necessarily" Al replied. "It all depends on whether you finish before I go and how successful you are." "I'll do my best" Sam said. "Well, there really wasn't any question of that" Al concluded. They had just finished their lists when Jenna appeared in the doorway to Sam's office. Both men looked up and greeted her. "How did your check up go?" Sam asked. "Passed with flying colors" Jenna answered with a smile. "No restrictions." She gave Al a meaningful glance. "That's great" Sam said. "Assuming he didn't overlook something he didn't know to look for." "He didn't" Jenna replied, still looking at Al. Al rose from his chair, walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Congratulations" he said, and kissed her. As their embrace continued, Sam wondered if he should leave. Then he decided it was a moot point since Al and Jenna were blocking the doorway. Soon Sam began to wonder if he was going to be able to get to the cafeteria for lunch before dinner time rolled around. He looked up at the couple again. Al appeared to be in rare form and Jenna completely appreciative of his attention. Sam figured that if their actions continued to their logical conclusion the doorway would be cleared eventually. *Even Al won't choose a doorway for a liaison if a desk or the floor was handy,* Sam thought. *Or would he?* Sam's scientific detachment was rapidly dwindling and he finally decided he wasn't prepared to observe them long enough to collect sufficient data to prove or disprove his hypothesis. Sam cleared his throat noisily. He coughed discreetly, then more loudly. *So much for the gentlemanly approach* he thought. Sam got up from his desk chair and walked over to the doorway. He stood within a foot of them for a minute or two, then reached out to tap Al on the shoulder. Al moved his face away from Jenna's far enough to speak. "Beat it, pal. We're not dancing and even if we were I'm not sure I'd let you cut in" Al said. Sam sighed. "I'm not trying to cut in, I'm trying to get out" he explained. Al looked around with a startled glance, as though he had forgotten where he was; which Sam thought was quite possible. "Oh," Al said "sorry." He stepped away from Jenna to open a space in the doorway. "Are the two of you going to have lunch or should I consider my office to be off limits for the rest of the day?" Sam asked. Al and Jenna glanced at each other. "We'll join you" Jenna replied. "We were just working up an appetite." "Yeah, right" Al agreed. "Boy, am I hungry." They both started to laugh and Sam could only shake his head. As they exited the corridor into the main hallway they came face to face with a marine guard. He saluted Jenna, who was in uniform, and handed a government courier pouch to Al. He saluted Jenna once again and departed when she returned his salute. "Hang on a minute you two" Al said. "I want to see if there's any correspondence from Washington about the refit in here." Sam and Jenna waited while Al returned to his office. When he reappeared in the doorway a minute or two later he was holding a thick stack of papers and his face was ashen. "What's wrong, Al?" Sam gasped. Jenna didn't have to ask. She recognized the type face and format of the papers in Al's hand before he handed them to her. She glanced at the top sheet, that was all that was necessary. She knew the rest of the stack were copies of the same document. Orders. The top sheet read 'To: Tyler, Jenna NMN, Colonel, USA, Serial Number 385623506. You are hereby relieved of temporary duty at Project [CLASSIFIED], effective immediately upon receipt of these orders. You will report NLT 0800 hours April 21st, 2000 to General R.C. Littleton, Commander USACC, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. for further orders'. Jenna removed one sheet from the back of the stapled set of orders and handed it to Al. "Permission to go ashore, Admiral?" she said. "But you have two weeks before you have to report!" Al objected. "I'm going to Washington today, Al." Jenna replied. Sam watched the two of them as they locked gazes. He couldn't tell what was passing between them, but he could see who was winning. Al's shoulders sagged slightly and the hand in which he held the paper she had given him dropped to his side. "Permission granted, Colonel. Godspeed." Al said. He turned and reentered his office without another word. Jenna and Sam watched him go, then Sam looked at Jenna. "What was that all about? Why are you going to Washington?" he asked. Jenna continued to stare at the doorway to Al's office. Finally she looked up at Sam and shook her head. "Just wish me luck, Sam" she said, and left. "Good luck" Sam echoed softly, then he realized that she was already too far down the hallway to have heard him. Sam walked over to Al's office and entered. Al was sitting in his chair and staring at the piece of paper that lay in the middle of the desktop. Sam reached over and picked up the paper and read the orders. When he had finished he looked at Al. "Why is she going to Washington today?" Sam asked. "She's gonna try and get the orders rescinded before she has to report." Al replied. There was a complete lack of confidence and optimism in his voice. "And you don't think she'll be successful." Sam added. Al sighed. "No, I don't think so." "Then why don't you go with her?" Sam challenged. "You might be able to pull some strings or something." Al looked up at him. "That's precisely why she doesn't want me to go with her. This is something she feels she has to do for herself." Al sighed again. "The hell of it is, she's right." "So you're going to let her go?" Sam said. "Just like that? "'Let her go'? She's a grown woman, Sam. What do you want me to do, lock her up in her quarters?" Al said. "And what do you mean, 'Just like that'?" "'Permission granted and Godspeed'?" Sam repeated in an incredulous tone. "Like she's some competent but expendable yeoman who can be replaced in the next personnel transfer." "She'll be back, Sam" Al said. "Maybe not for long, but she'll be back." Sam couldn't believe his senses. Al was just sitting there, regarding him steadily, while Jenna was packing to leave. "Aren't you at least going to talk to her before she goes? Tell her how you feel?" Al looked Sam in the eye without saying anything for a long while. As Sam calmed down a little, he saw that Al wasn't trying to deny his emotions. They were clearly visible in his eyes, for anyone to see; as long as they made the effort to really look. "She knows exactly how I feel, Sam" Al said. * * * * Jenna left the complex for Washington less than half an hour after she received her orders. She flew overnight and arrived in Washington at three thirty in the morning. She was not headed for a government office, but the private residence of the man she felt was probably the most able, and definitely the most willing, to help her. He was not particularly pleased to be awakened at four a.m., until he saw who was ringing his bell. He sent his wife back to bed, made some coffee and joined his visitor in the den. "I thought you were out in New Mexico somewhere" Major General Joseph Brooks boomed. "I was" Jenna said. "And I'd like to be back there. By the way, if anyone asks, as far as you know I was never here in D.C." "So why are you here, or not here as the case may be?" Brooks inquired. "I came to find out if you're slipping or just decided you don't know me anymore" Jenna said, placing a copy of her orders on the general's desk. Brooks picked up the paper and read it quickly. He sighed and grumbled "That asshole" under his breath. "So you didn't know that he's been cherry picking your personnel again" Jenna said. "No" Brooks replied. "This is going to take some time, kid." "I don't have the time to spare, Joe. If Littleton gets his hooks into me, I'm a goner" Jenna reminded him. "What do you suggest?" Brooks asked. "When does my current commitment expire" she said. It was not precisely a question. Brooks eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her face. "You know you're on an open ended extension now" he accused. "You're not thinking of resigning your commission?" Jenna simply stared at him. "Come on" Brooks reasoned. "You're less than four years away from a full thirty. You wouldn't screw up your retirement now. I've never known anyone else who could handle the shit you've been through. Even the possibility of three and a half years of Littleton can't phase you that much." "Littleton is only part of it" Jenna told him. Brooks paused and took a long, close look at his old friend. Something was different about her. The first time he had seen Jen after Paul's death he had noticed that a certain spark of vitality and joy of life had gone out of her eyes. Over the years he had hoped to see it return. It was there now. "Who is he?" Brooks asked. "Either the caffeine finally kicked in or you know me too damn well" Jenna said, with a slight smile. "Maybe both" Brooks said. *Damn,* he thought, *she as much as admitted I'm right.* Brooks had never been able to get Jenna to talk much about her personal life. It would have bothered him more if he hadn't been sure that he knew as much or more about her than anyone else did, even Paul. Brooks had known that Paul cheated on Jenna constantly; the son-of-a-bitch didn't really try to hide it. If Jen hadn't forbidden it, Brooks would have kicked the guys' ass for him. When Paul had died, Brooks' wife, Betty, had tried to fix Jenna up with every man she could get Brooks to admit might possibly be good enough for his friend, but Jenna remained steadfastly widowed. And celibate, Brooks suspected, as well. He couldn't be sure, of course, but the gossip in the officer's club supported his theory. "What's it been, something over ten years, right?" Brooks asked. "You know what they say about all good things" Jenna replied. Brooks produced a good-natured snort. She seemed more relaxed and sure of herself than he had ever seen her which, since he had never really known her to be unsure of herself, was amazing in itself. She also seemed quite willing to trash her career if she felt that was the best option open to her. Brooks sighed deeply. *I hope I've got the juice to get her something close to what she deserves,* he thought. "You still haven't told me who this guy is, but I can see that you're sold on him. And I guess I know better than to cross swords with you" Brooks complained. "You're judgment seems to have improved with age" Jenna quipped. "Put a sock in it, runt" Brooks advised. "Who came to whom for help anyway?" "I've already got my fall back plan, Joe. I just thought I'd give you the chance to even up your karma a little" Jenna responded. Brooks laughed aloud. "Okay, pip-squeak; leave it to me." "Thanks, Joe" Jenna said. Brooks insisted she catch a nap on his couch. "There'll be more flights available going west after midday anyway" he told her. After four hours sleep and one of Betty's famous breakfasts, Jenna headed back to New Mexico much more at ease in body and mind. * * * * End Part 20 of 25