the graduation party. He and Masher set this up.'
Lawrence walked over and kissed Claudia warmly on the lips.
'Happy birthday, hon. The Big Four-Oh.'
Claudia regarded him through slitted eyes. 'So, you're the security risk.'
Lawrence said, 'Hey, I only acted on available intelligence. You know-loose lips sink ships? Besides, somebody
Claudia glanced at both fliers, feigning petulance. 'Oh, there's that handsome Tim Ottman. I think I'll let him buy me a drink.'
For the next two hours Claudia savored being the belle of the ball. The fact that she was almost the only woman present did not bother her in the least. She was accorded a combination of fraternal attention and the respect due the colonel's lady from a cheerful band of warriors. Partway into the evening she realized with a start that she-a career diplomat-actually was enjoying the company of such men. True, some of the courtesy being lavished upon her was attributable to the fact that many of the pilots had not talked to a woman-any woman-in several months. But she felt comfortable, accepted, and warm.
Bennett allowed the others to entertain Claudia, preferring to sit back with Peter Saint-Martin. Peter lit his pipe, settled comfortably, and took in the scene.
'You know, boss,' he began, 'we've had the women here only a day and a half or so. They'll be gone tomorrow. But I can't help noticing almost a brother-sister relationship among our bachelor or unattached IPs and the few wives-and your Claudia. I've seen it before. As men will do on lonely outposts without women of their own, they begin to focus their love and longing on those present. Some chaps believe it can only lead to conflict, but I disagree. At least, it doesn't have to.'
Bennett regarded the former Royal Navy flier with new esteem.
'Peter, I never figured you for a sociologist.'
'Armchair sociologist, you might say.' He puffed aggressively at his pipe. 'Most men are loath to do anything improper in the presence of a woman who simply expects respect. As you know, when men live for long periods without the company of women, one of the first casualties is language. I've noticed that our chaps have minded their manners all evening.'
The Britisher sat in silence a few more moments. 'There's a dichotomy at work in our business. Men can engage in the worst form of behavior-killing and being killed-and be better at it when deprived of the presence of women. That's because in every society I know of, the promise of woman is of life and birth, of love and compassion. Things not synonymous with war. You see, it's almost a given that to prepare men for war they should be removed from the presence of women. Our instruction and training has to take place away from the female's basic goodness and civilizing influence. That's why war is possible.'
Bennett leaned forward, clasping his hands on the table. 'I think I agree with you, Peter. But what about the trend of more women in the armed forces?'
A decisive shake of the head. 'Can't work, old man. Runs contrary to our civilization. Oh, I'm not saying women can't shoot as well as men or fly as well-we both know better. But I've never seen a cow in a bullring.' He knocked out the ashes in his pipe. 'You may have read Kipling. 'The female of the species is more deadly than the male.' Some say that females of any species are more dangerous, but read Kipling carefully. The females only become lethal in defense of their children or to feed them. Women will kill, certainly. To preserve their young. And I for one think that's an admirable quality.'
Toward midnight, when the cake and ice cream and beer were gone, most of the men had drifted off. Masher Malloy, obviously picking his time carefully, approached Claudia with a small package.
'Miss Meyers, I'd sort of like you to have this. As a birthday present. It's been with me for quite a while and… I, ah, I just want you to have it.'
Claudia opened the package, set down the wrapping, and held up the gift. It was a once-dark-blue T-shirt emblazoned with the black and white emblem of Fighter Squadron I43. Claudia laughed aloud, genuinely pleased, and held it up to her shoulders. The shirt hung barely to her hips. 'Why, thank you, Masher. I'll think of you every time I wear it.' She leaned down to kiss his cheek.
Slightly flustered, the little fighter pilot made an uncharacteristically quiet withdrawal.
Bennett drove Claudia to her hotel and walked her to her room.
As they stepped inside she turned around. 'Excuse me, John. I'll be right back.' She went into the bathroom and closed the door.
Moments later the door opened. Bennett, sitting on the couch, looked up and gasped. Claudia wore the Pukin' Dog shirt. And nothing else. She turned around twice, a wry grin on her face. 'Do you think Masher would approve?'
'I know damn well he would.' Bennett took a deep breath and stood up. 'Claudia…'
She stepped close to him, put her hands on his chest. 'I know we've both been doing a lot of thinking about each other, and our lovemaking has been wonderful this past year or so. But I want to be closer to you, John. I'm forty years old and I really don't have anything but my career. Now I find I want something more. I want there to be an
He held her tightly. 'So do I, Claudia.'
The blue T-shirt fell to the floor.
In the C Ring of the Pentagon, Major General George Miller shuffled his papers, organizing visual aids and data for his next presidential briefing. It was no simple task, especially where the Middle East was concerned. The increasingly complex web of alliances, plots, and feuds cut across not only national borders, but political and religious lines as well. It tended to become very confusing, most notably when longtime antagonists began behaving in a distressingly friendly fashion toward one another. The increasing Arab unity was perpetuated by Israel's continuing occupation of Jordan.
Miller was too experienced a briefer to allow such things to bog him down. He called across the room to his aide, Colonel Robert Kaufman. They were alone in the room.
'Bob, did CIA confirm the data from Tel Aviv?'
Kaufman looked up from his map preparation. 'Yes, sir. Not only based upon Israeli information, but there's confirmation from the Brits as well.'
Miller penned a note on his first draft of the presentation. As he updated material over the rest of the evening, it would be added, modified, or deleted according to requirements. The final version would be typed less than one hour before President Walter Arnold's briefing.
George Miller sat back in his chair, raised his glasses, and rubbed his eyes. 'Bob, come over here and park it for a minute. I want to brainstorm this thing.'
The intelligence colonel poured himself a cup of decaffeinated coffee and sat down at the table. 'Well, sir, the evidence is pretty conclusive,' Kaufman began. 'The Israelis, probably with some support from the Omanis and even from the Brits, are supporting guerrilla bands inside Yemen. There's a clear pattern of operations against South Yemen over the past several weeks. That much is indisputable. Raids have occurred.'
Miller said, 'Sure. But why? What could the Yemenis hope to gain from all this? All they may succeed in doing is upsetting South Yemen and starting a real firefight.'
''That is one risk,' Kaufman conceded. He tapped the file marked TOP SECRET and flipped the pages. 'But it's been proven that South Yemen is intent on exporting revolution, as the old saying goes. My guess is that the government in San'a wants to show the People's Republic of Yemen that it can't have things both ways.'
Ever the devil's advocate, Miller said, 'Okay, I'll buy that as far as it goes. But let's play the intel game. Who really stands to benefit from border clashes between the two Yemens?'
Kaufman smiled. 'Gotcha, chief.' He waved a professorial finger. 'Israel and Oman.'
'All right, we're on the same track. But why? The president will want to know.'
'Everybody in the spook business knows the radical Arab states have settled most of their differences over the past couple of years. With the Ayatollah dead, Iran has become a lot cozier with Iraq. In fact, we know that Israeli intelligence predicted it would take about that long to consolidate things. Now the Israelis are looking for a way to further destabilize the situation-give 'em more time to prepare for whatever's coming.'
'And Oman?'
'Simple. South Yemen's hostile to Oman, too. Internal dissent, protests, support of opposition groups. It's a
