The opening of the door leading into the Adjutant General’s office, followed by a flood of commanders and senior staff officers from that room, signaled the end of their meeting. Pushing herself against the wall that she had been leaning against, Nancy studied their faces as they filed by. A few, she suspected by their downcast expressions, shared her apprehensions and concerns. Others clearly showed that they were delighted with themselves, the position of importance that events had catapulted them into, or the manner in which the people in units they commanded had performed that day. Most, however, wore masks that hid their personal feelings and any concerns they might be harboring over the situation they now faced.

The last two people to come through the door were the adjutant general and the governor. GO Thomas was wearing a brown leather aviator’s jacket and a blank expression. Nancy wondered what was going on in that man’s mind. He had once been a warrior, just as she had been. He had once taken an oath of office that was no different than hers. How then, she wondered, had he been able to precipitate this crisis? Had he misjudged the response that would result from his actions? Or was there more to this? Something more calculated, something …

Nancy’s face must have betrayed the contempt that was welling up in her, for GO Thomas slowed his pace as if he were about to stop and ask what was troubling her.

Not wanting to deal with this sort of confrontation, Nancy averted her eyes and quickly pushed her way past him. It would take more than a few witty sound bites to justify the events of that morning. Whatever their reasons, Nancy knew that there wasn’t a person present who would be able demonstrate to her satisfaction that the course they seemed so hell bent on following was worth the price so many would have to pay.

It had been years since GO Thomas had felt as alive as he did at that moment. Walking through the crowded corridors of the state National Guard headquarters, the businessman turned governor basked in the hearty handshakes and congratulations that were being heaped upon him. For him it was a return to the good old days when he was seen as the first among equals, a warrior leader, a conqueror.

While GO Thomas had not foreseen any of this, he was not at all averse to taking advantage of the situation. Despite his official title he was still an opportunistic businessman at heart. He knew that whatever profit there was to be harvested from the conflict now unfolding at his very doorstep needed to be seized immediately. He had spent too many years building up financial and political clout throughout the western states in an effort to position himself for national office to let a simple matter of unfortunate time sidetrack him.