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Wilson flew with the Queen in the executive space air mission landing craft in over Galloway. They circled around to the north so the Queen could see the now gapping cavity of where the Grant River dam had stood. They then flew to Galloway. When the Queen saw the devastation of Galloway she nearly lost it. The wall of water that had pushed the damn downstream had crashed into the town of Galloway grinding its way to a cliff. Most of the town was nothing more than a pile of tooth picks.
“How can these people do this!” she said, appalled at what she saw. “The people who did this really believe that by killing this town and all the people in it they will go to heaven? That God condones their taking of lives to force others to worship as they do!”
“Aggie,” Michael said softly, “I have spent all my adult life dealing with fanatics both in and out of uniform. The Church of the One God firmly believes that their deity gives them the blessed and sacred duty to bring the word of God to heathens like me and you. It also gives them the right to punish us on the behalf of their God. They believe all nonbelievers are sinners who need to come to grace with their God or be punished if they do not. What you have to understand is that Theocracy’s citizens are brain washed from the time they are born to the time they die to believe that the College of Cardinals can do no wrong. Some of them have no idea that the cardinals do what they do. These folks are incredibly dangerous. This Father Pierce has a history of extreme violence. He truly believes his god gives him the right to kill us so the rest of us will see the error of our ways and find God. He’s going to be tough to stop. But the Black Guard and the Companions will find him. But not before there will be more loss of life, both innocents and our people in uniform. I don’t know who is madder the Companions or the Princess. She is very upset at what happened to a couple of her marines.”
Mike lapsed into silence as the landing craft came in for a landing at the EVAC hospital where the Trena Red Cross had set up a relief center.
They left the landing craft and were met by the chief surgeon of the EVAC unit. Although everyone had noticed the landing craft land no one knew who was on it. Landing craft came and went all the time between bringing in equipment, and lifting out casualties. No one had noticed several Black Guardsmen quietly take positions around the landing pad before landing craft that was flying low circles about the hospital landed.
“Good morning Majesty,” the surgeon bowed to the Queen, “I am honored by your visit! Is there anything my staff can do for you?”
“Captain,” the Queen said, “you have done more than I could have asked from anyone. Your staff has made a difference.”
The Queen continued, “I want to go to the Red Cross center first. Then I would like to meet with your off duty staff. Maybe walk through the hospital. But Captain, only if I will not get in your way.”
The captain nodded and said, “By leave your majesty?”
The Queen nodded as McGregor fell in behind them and along with the Captain’s yeoman.
The Red Cross had set up a field kitchen near the road. They had four of their mobile feeding trucks being loaded as well as feeding everyone who came through the serving line. As the Queen approached she wondered how she should do it. Stand back and watch, slip into line and get a meal, go behind the feeding line and serve. She didn’t want to interrupt these people’s work; but she wanted to show her support for what they were doing for her people. It turned out to be easy. As the Queen wandered towards where the Red Cross was loading out the trucks. She saw a little old lady struggling to load one of the trucks. She went over and said simply, “Need some help?”
“Could you grab that case of drinks and put it in the ERV.” the woman said without looking up.
“Sure,” The young queen picked up a case of drinks and followed the woman to where she was loading a truck. For the next fifteen minutes she and Mike both assisted the woman and her crew, load the ERV. When they were done the woman looked to her helpers and became very flustered, “Your majesty you didn’t need to do that! We could have gotten it loaded.”
“My friend,” The Queen said, “you needed the help and I certainly don’t mind helping you. You have done far more than I have to help our people. Keep up your very good work!”
She shook all their hands and turned and found the site manager coming up to them. “Good morning your highness,” the short blonde said. She was in her mid-fifties, maybe in her sixties. “How can we help you?”
“Let’s turn that around,” The Queen asked, “is there anything I can do for you.”
“Catch the bastards that did this!” the woman retorted, “We have everything we need. Your General Langtree was up here earlier and had helped to set up some of our plumbing. I have never seen a general officer on his back cursing at a pipe before. But he ran all our water lines and told one of his sergeants that he wanted water lines ran from the EVAC hospital and then he wanted a refer container brought down from the Majestic. We’re in good shape.”
“I am glad to hear it.” The Queen said, as she walked over to the feeding line. They were almost over, and the Queen took the time to shake hands and thank people for the work they were doing.
They found a quiet table near the kitchen and sat down to eat their meal. The RC staff gave them their space as did the Mounties and the Companions. As she finished her meal the Queen turned with a mischievous grin on her face to Mac and said, “Hey Mac do we need to drop you by the triage area so your heart attack can be dealt with?”
“Naw! Your majesty,” the protective agent replied, “I’m used to it. And besides I rather enjoyed watching the MPs have kittens when you dived into that crowd.”
The Queen chuckled. But one thing Mike and Mac both noticed was the silent appreciation of the Black Guard as they watched the Queen and the Marshal load the Emergency Response Vehicle. Mike knew that by the end of the day that the Marines would have told their comrades what they saw. By the end of the week it would be three of the vehicles and she did it alone. Mike didn’t really care how blown out of proportion the event got. He knew that this helped Aggie connect with her people and the troops she needed to count on.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 110