Chapter 5

The next few weeks were just plain work. It probably seems like touring with a popular band would be great fun and endless adventure but mostly it was a lot like combat: endless hours of boredom interrupted by moments of shear terror. Well, terror is probably a bit of an overstatement, maybe agitation and concern would be more appropriate. Anytime the girls were heading into a large crowd there was a concern; happily we hadn't had anything like the clusterfuck we'd seen in Clonakilty but still a concern. The agitation come mostly in the person of one little blonde bimbo whose every breath seemed to be directed at making life difficult for those around her.

Sleeping with one of my charges already had my alleged professionalism in tatters but Rachael had the uncanny ability to shred it even further. On most nights she would head out on the prowl for booze, drugs and cock, generally in that order and I made the command decision to not be the one escorting her on these little jaunts. When I say I made the decision I mean I discussed the matter with Magaoidh and he concurred with my assessment. Any officer who makes major policy decisions without at least talking it over with his senior NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) is an idiot who doesn't deserve to be above ground and usually doesn't stay that way for long.

Anyway he agreed that given the way Rachael's and my personalities meshed, somewhat like fire and napalm, it would be best if one of the two rangers did the escort duty. If I'd been with her it would have just encouraged her to do even dumber things than she was already doing; we got along that well. I won't say she was considerate of the boys but at least she ignored them once she found out they weren't going to stop her from drinking, smoking or fucking anything she wanted so long as she did it in a relatively safe environment.

"Besides, Major," he winked at me, "with you here we'll know exactly where the other girls are and that leaves the remaining three of us plenty of time for planning, watching and maybe a little R&R."

Oh yeah, maybe I should mention that my room or more precisely wherever I happen to be at the time appeared to be the girls' ― and by this I mean all four of the remaining girls ― favorite place also. I'm not exactly sure how it happened but a week or so into the tour I had more female company than any man could ask for. No, not like that! Get your mind out of the gutter. Leanne was still the only one who slept with me but from whenever we finished whatever we were doing for the evening until around bedtime you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a member of an all-girl band. Not that I'm complaining mind you, I'm just saying...

How did this all happen, you ask? Good question. I'll try to walk you through it over those few weeks and maybe you can figure it out. I get the feeling it was more my music collection than my sparkling personality but that's kind of a part of it all so it's better if I put it all into context.

Anyway we'd finished with that rat-hole, Clonakilty, and had gigs in Killarney, Listowel and were in Limerick when it all started. The show had gone very well and the girls were having fun at the after-party, all of them. They'd all had a drink or two and were feeling happy. Actually Niamh wasn't happy, she was closer to ecstatic but unlike the last time this wasn't a binge to avoid something; she'd just over-poured herself or had someone over-serve her. Shauna and Eimile had gone down a little while earlier with one of the boys so a feeling-no-pain Leanne and I herded a playfully drunk drummer to her room.

Niamh asked me if I wanted to come in and help put her to bed and pouted when I politely declined. Leanne laughed and told me she would be down in a few after she made sure Niamh got to bed. I was heading down the hall to my room and was passing Eimile's room when the door opened. I glanced over and saw Eimile and Shauna in one of the most passionate lip-locks I'd even been privileged to see. They both noticed me at the same time and squealed. I did the only thing I could have done.

"Evening, ladies," I nodded and kept on walking. I wasn't shocked and not overly surprised; it was obvious those two were tighter than two ticks on a dog so it wasn't that much of a stretch to imagine them as lovers if that's what they were. I'd just about reached my room when I heard a door slam behind me and someone running in bare feet. I'd just put my hand out to the door pad and looked to see Shauna running towards me looking, well, scared.

"Mr. Leforge, ah need to explain," she gushed breathlessly.

"You don't have to explain," I replied. "But if you'd like to talk I suggest we do so in here where it's not so ... public." There wasn't anyone else in the hall but I knew it was under observation and while I didn't have any problem with my crew knowing this, it wasn't my secret to tell if it was indeed a secret. I pushed open the door and let her go in.

"Mr. Leforge," she started babbling once I'd closed the door. "What ya saw — Eimile and me — we..." She sort of ran out of steam and started sniffing. I took her hand in what I'd hoped was a reassuring manner.

"Shauna," I said firmly and she looked up at me. Her eyes looked teary and I could tell she wanted to cry. "What I saw was a good night kiss between two very pretty young ladies, that's all. If there is anything else, that's your business and not mine."

"But..." she started.

"And for the record I really don't care," I added before she could say anything.

"But we're cousins and all," she said a little firmer. She must have sensed I wasn't going to berate her as a harlot or a deviant. Homosexuality goes through periods of acceptance in cycles just like the fashionable length of a woman's skirt. Sometimes it's up and sometimes it's down. It goes from outrage and condemnation to acceptance and even encouragement to apathy and everywhere in-between; usually at different times in different parts of the world. Right then it was out of favor in Ireland and not considered socially acceptable; in the United States it was looked on mostly with apathy. "And she and I are..."

"If it was more than a good night kiss," I said softly, "and you both enjoyed it than I am happy for both of you."

"We love each other," she stated. "Em and me been together since we was born and we'd always know we'd be together. It's bad enough being girls but we're also cousins..."

"Incest?" I laughed. "Don't be silly!" She looked at me like I was crazy. "Look, the incest taboo was developed long ago to minimize genetically transmitted diseases. Way back when they didn't know about recessive genes but they did notice that when close relatives interbreed their offspring had a better than average chance of having something wrong with them. This was especially true back when population centers were fairly small and the genetic diversity wasn't overly abundant to begin with.

"Now, with you two," I winked and she chuckled, "I be thinking the interbreeding willn't be mooch of a problem."

"Ya have a terrible Irish accent," she giggled and slapped my arm.

"That was my Scottish accent," I replied feigning offense.

"Then 'tis even worse," she scoffed and hit me again. "Stay with the Yank; it fits you better."

"I suppose so," I sighed. "But really, Shauna, I don't care; it doesn't matter and if it's a secret, then as far as I'm concerned it still is. Okay?"

"Okay," she answered in a small voice. Right then Leanne pranced through the door.

"Martin," she sang then came up short. "Oh, hey, Shauna. What's ya off to with this blackguard?" Without slowing down she walked over to the closet and hung up her clothes for the next day.

"Oh, ah, had a question for Martin," Shauna stuttered. "Hey, what are 'ou doing here?"

"Me? Ah'm knackered. Ah'm fer bed," Leanne said lightly and kicked off her slippers, dropped her robe, pulled back the covers and climbed into the aforementioned sleeping accoutrement. As you might have guessed there was nothing but Leanne underneath the robe. "Ya coming soon, Martin? Ah think ah'm a bit fluttered and ah need ya to stop the room from spinning."

"I will as soon as I'm done with Shauna here," I assured her. "And I didn't see anyone sticking a funnel down your throat and forcing you to take those drinks."

"Ah just had a wee one or two with Niamh," she giggled and rolled over face down to snuggle into the bed. "Mmm, these sheets are so comfy."

"And Niamh was plastered," I sorted. "I hope you slapped a couple De-tox patches on her. Did you get one for yourself?"

"Ah did and ah did," she giggled again pushed the sheets down to show the patch she'd applied to the small of her back right above her butt.

"All right Miss Leanne Marie Geallaigh, just what be the meaning of this?" Shauna demanded with righteous indignation as she stomped over to the bed with her hands on her hip.

"Ah'm gong to bed with me fella," Leanne mumbled cracking one eye open to look up at her cousin. "And just what might you be doing in here with him, ah might ask?"

"Ah ... ah was just explaining something to him, a little misunderstanding ya might say," Shauna stuttered.

"Ach, caught ya snogging with Em did 'e?" Leanne yawned. "Well never you mind, Martin won't be caring a whit about that. Now go away and let me sleep." About two seconds later she was softly snoring.

"What?" Shauna gasped. I gently took her shoulders and turned her around.

"I don't think this is going to be a problem," I told her. "If the other girls know, it's obvious they don't mind and are covering for you. You can talk to her in the morning if you'd like but you aren't going to get anything reasonable out of her tonight."

"Aye, that's a fact," she glanced at Leanne and grimaced. Then she looked back up at me with a predatory look. "And just how long has this been going on, Mr. Leforge?" she demanded.

"Awhile," I answered evasively. She continued to stare at me and I finally sighed, "Since the first night in Clonakilty," I admitted.

"Hmm," she sniffed. "Seems there be a lot of secrets around here, now aren't there?"

"We haven't exactly been keeping it a secret," I sighed again. "We just haven't been advertising it either. It just seemed best to keep it low key in case it caused any trouble in the group."

"Ah understand," Shauna nodded with a grin. "But ah will be talking to that little tart tomorrow morning..." She was interrupted by someone opening the door.

"Hell-oooo," a very tipsy Niamh stumbled into the room. She was wearing a very short and almost transparent nightie. She was also carrying one of those little bottles from the room bar. "So this is where the party is," she slurred.

"That's right, here it is," I said plucking the bottle out of her hand and pushing her towards the bed. She landed with a whoosh right next to Leanne. The little nightie had come up and I was seeing a lot more of her very fine legs and tush then I'm sure she wanted me too so I covered her up.

"Leanne!" she exclaimed and Leanne opened one eye.

"Niamh," Leanne mumbled. "Ya sleeping with us too?" She didn't get an answer since Niamh started snoring almost immediately. It wasn't like Leanne waited for the answer and soon there were two sleeping beauties in my bed.

"Ah suppose ah should let ya go now," Shauna teased. "It would appear yer bed is already full."

"Great," I sighed looking up. "I hope that couch is more comfortable than it looks."

"Pashaw on the couch," she scoffed. "Ya have two lovely lasses right where ya want 'em."

"You," I said turning her around and pointing her towards the door, "are a troublemaker." I gave her a little push and emphasized it with a slap in her bottom. She yipped and gave me a giggly glance over her shoulder.

"Oh, by the way," I said before she left. "I've been thinking over our security arrangements and I've come to the conclusion that with as many rooms as we have we're too spread out for adequate coverage. I was thinking of asking a few of you to double up for the remainder of the trip. Would that be a problem?"

She looked at me for a moment, squealed and surprised me by jumping up and wrapping her arms around my neck and legs around my waist. She then proceeded to give me one of the best kisses I'd had in a long time.

"You'd better be careful," I gasped after regaining my lips and my breath. "Eimile might get jealous."

"Ah never said we'll be liking only women other than each other," she blushed as she disentangled herself. "It's just that we've never found a man the both of us liked who liked us as well."

"Off you go troublemaker," I smiled and this time just patted her bottom as I steered her to the door. "And let Eimile know everything will be all right; I'm sure of it." She grinned at me gratefully and closed the door behind her. I turned around and started looking for some extra linens and a pillow or two.

"Oh, me aching head," Niamh groaned sometime around mid-morning. Leanne stirred and after several tries finally propped herself up. She smacked her lips a few times and then finally stuck her tongue out and left it there.

"Ah tink a cat weed in ma mouth," she mumbled.

"Rise and shine, my beauties," I sang out brightly. "You'd better hurry if you want some breakfast."

"Ach, yer an evil man, Martin Leforge," Leanne finally muttered. "If ah wasn't dead ah'd come over there and hurl on ya."

"How ah get here?" Niamh asked blurrily as she raised her head.

"Looking for a party?" I replied. She groaned and let her head drop again.

"This De-tox is banjaxed," Leanne moaned. "Ah need something fer me head."

"Table next to the bed," I informed her. She found the self-adsorbing analgesic patch and slapped in on her shoulder. "De-tox is a medical aid, not a miracle cure," I continued. "You have to at least keep the alcohol intake to somewhere below toxic levels."

"Yes, mother," she groaned. "Ah'm off the drink forever."

"Sure you are," I chuckled, then set down my coffee cup and walked around the bed to her side. Bending down I pulled the covers back and gently picked her up.

"Come on my little lush, what you need is to rinse your mouth out and take a nice hot shower," I said as I carried her into the bathroom. I set her down and she scrunched up against me burying her head in my chest.

"Yer too good to me, Martin," she mumbled.

"Probably," I replied cheerfully as I pushed her towards the shower. "But I can't help it. Just a service I provide for all the women I'm sleeping with." I helped getting the spray started and made sure it was hot without being scalding and put her in. Leaving my little Asian princess to simmer for a while I returned to the main room. Niamh was laying in the bed with the covers pulled up to just under her chin.

"When she's done it'll be your turn," I told her.

"Did I sleep here ... with you?" she asked in a quavering voice.

"No, you slept with Leanne. I wasn't about to get in there with you two," I snorted. "If you two were going to get sick, you were going to do it on each other, not me."

"Oh! And I came in here..."

"Snockered out of your mind, looking for a party," I finished for her.

"At least ah wasn't in me nip, was I?" she asked.

"Nope, wearing what you have on," I shook my head. She raised the covers and looked down at herself.

"Oh, my!" she gasped. "That's not much better, now is it?"

"Or worse depending how you look at it," I shrugged. "That's a pretty sexy nightie."

"Ah'm so embarrassed," she groaned turning bright crimson. That color really doesn't look good on a redhead.

"Been there, done that," I admitted. "At least you know where you woke up. There was a time or two when I didn't."

"Ah feel like a fool eejit," she whined.

"Yep, you're supposed to," I nodded picking up my coffee cup. "Nature's way of telling you not to do it too often."

"Could ya, ah, turn aside?" she asked. "So's ah can get down to ma room and get meself ready. Not that ya haven't seen it all already that's fer sure," she blushed again.

"And I should thank you for the privilege, lovely lady," I grinned and she blushed even deeper. "But no, why don't you just stay right there until Leanne is done? When she gets dressed she can run down and pick something up for you while you shower. I'd rather you not be running around out in the halls in that or you'll cause a riot and that robe of Leanne's might come down to your waist but not much further. I'll leave you alone here," I winked. "There's something for your head on the table next to the bed.

"Yer a saint," she sighed.

"Yep. Saint Martin, that's me. I'll be out and about here for a while. When you're both ready I'll take you downstairs and you can get a little something..." she started looking really pale and I quickly added, " ... or maybe just some coffee or tea." She nodded miserably so I went over, gave her a kiss on the top of the head and left.

"Bring out yer dead!" Shauna sang loudly as my two wretched companions and I entered the small dining area near the hotel lobby.

"But they're not dead yet," I said trying my best to sound like Eric Idle.

"Ew, another Pythonite! The man has unexpected depths," Shauna squealed.

"And you'll not be making disparaging remarks about one of the most underrated classics of this or any other century in my presence, young lady," I responded firmly. "Or I'll sic the killer rabbit on you," I warned.

"What, and have me soil me armor?" she giggled.

I put up my hands in surrender and deposited my two less-than-bubbling ladies at the table. Once I'd done that Eimile jumped up and hugged me fiercely, pressed her face under my chin and softly said, "Thank you."

"Be happy, Eimile," I replied patting her back, "and don't worry so much about what everyone else thinks." She nodded vigorously and stepped back smiling.

"Shauna got a kiss last night. Do ah get one now?" she asked shyly.

"Of course," I said bending down and giving her a light kiss on the forehead.

"Not much of a kiss," she pouted.

"And this is a very public place," I scolded. "Now behave or you'll get the same spanking she got last night too." She skipped away laughing as I shook my head. I think that was the first time I'd ever heard Eimile laughing. She had a very lovely laugh.

It was Kilkenny that evening. The hotel did have a restaurant but the girls decided to try a pub down the street instead. It was a nice enough place and the patrons were civil enough to wait until the girls were more or less finished before asking for autographs or vid-shots. Of course that might have had more to do with the two lanky rangers, one pit-bull corporal and a steely-eyed colour sergeant but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

An hour or so after diner I was going through some of my mail and messages; I'd finally heard from Mayhem and I knew most everybody on his list. I was trying to decide who to contact first but I knew there really wasn't a choice. If I could I was going to see if I could get hold of Brigadier General Morton (Monty) Clemson. His command was the one to which I'd been attached as a liaison and he was the one who personally assigned me as head of headquarters security when the major who had been doing it took a sniper round between the eyes. That was why I'd been brevetted to major from captain. The Brits can be a bit stuffy about that sort of thing; if the ToO (Table of Organization) called for a major in the billet, then by God there was going to be a major in that position! We Americans weren't quite so finicky; shit, I'd seen gunny sergeants leading companies at times with corporals heading up platoons! Of all the command rank officers, he was the one I knew best and if I could contact and talk to him, meeting with the rest would probably be superfluous.

I was starting to set up a search to find him when I realized what a waste of time it would be. All I had to do was call the regimental HQ; even if he had retired by now they would know where he was or at least how to contact him. Being early evening I decided I'd wait until the next day during business hours. Sure the RHQ would have a duty officer but why get him all hot and bothered if I was just going to wait until the day to contact the brigadier anyway.