Smallville: Annual

Chapter 2

4/15/05 - 10:11PM - Headquarters Building - Fort Riley, KS

"God I wish I'd could kill something right now."

        Lt. General Samuel Lane sat at his desk reviewing paperwork as orders where passed around various other commanders in the base.  Lane was sending orders of several brigades in Afghanistan and was serious in making sure that everything went off without a hitch.  Nevertheless he was disappointed that he was missing out a chance to join those brigades while being cooped up here signing the orders.  In his late fifties the man still had more than enough starch to kick a few butts.  The word was anyone referred to the said starch as the reason for the general being a stuffed shirt in this cramped office would serve KP using their tongue as a mop.  He still kept his Colt 45 cleaned and ready for the next major battle.  Still he knew there was a part to be played and he continued well into the hours.

        For this is who Sam Lane is, a career military man who came from a third generation military family.  His father and grandfather having fought in Korea.  His grandfather having to wait almost a decade before World War II began.  'For there is no true way a man can live without willing to put his life on the line in the service of his country.'  It was practically the Lane family motto. At the age of eighteen the Vietnam War was being protested viciously by people he considered cowards and radicals who knew nothing about serving their country.  But Sam knew what it meant to serve and he was ready to join the fight by bucking tradition.  He addressed his father and grandfather his intention to defer his enrollment to West Point and enlist right away.  They were both smart and brave men and they wanted him to be smart before he went out and fought.  So he went to West Point graduated at the top of his class only to miss out of fighting in the Vietnam War like he predicted.  In the end he waited twice as long as his grandfather when finally had a chance to fight in the Gulf War. 

        It was his great moment, he thrived for battle, he craved it.  His superiors regarded him with exemplarily praise and his men respected him.  This was what he was put on Earth to do and that was it.  But he was still proud of his other accomplishments outside of the military.  His beautiful wife Ella and his two wonderful children.  Sometimes he wished his wife lived long enough to bear him at least one son, but that would never happen.  Tragically he missed out being there for his sick wife Ella as she succumbed to the lung cancer that had plagued her from years of smoking cigarettes.  Sam was no saint, but it appeared his wonderful American made Chavelos where different, outliving his wife over fourteen years.  He would raise his daughters as well as he could making sure they got the best out of life.  Lois would be with him and Lucy would travel with the best education.  He'd monitor Lois, Lois would monitor Lucy, it should have been more than adequate.  Had been adequate for years.

        Though lately it wouldn't appear to be so.  Lucy had ended up on the wrong side of the law in Switzerland by aligning herself with a noted criminal.  He was furious with Lois.  She allowed it to happen and she should accept responsibility.  But that was not the case, the girl refused to accept her fault in the matter.  The system had worked for years and now it failed because Lois let him down.  He could still remember their argument from last week.  The girl screamed profanities saying that he did not raise soldiers and that they didn't deserve to be treated like soldiers. 

        I know that they are not soldiers, but doesn't that girl know that I know nothing else?  Maybe if I had boys they would understand.  Maybe they are simply getting to me.  All I need to do is organize all these brigades, check them for duty and when the time comes to ask for leave to look for Lucy.  Maybe then when the family is united we, or at least I can be at ease.  Hopefully get to command some of these brigades.