Authors Note: Ok, so I am jumping around and am also probably the world's biggest Sanderson fan. It's a weakness, what can I say. Plus I am easily distracted. (You should see me at school.) So this is like in the far off future, way beyond the movie. All the guys were great in the movie but Sanderson was the only guy I could actually see becoming a colonel. Anywho, this is probably a one shot, but I may be further inspired. So enjoy!
Base Commanders Office.
Col. Sanderson, Jefferson Sanderson, walked around his desk eyes intent on the paperwork in his hand, oblivious to the pounding rain outside the building. Oblivious to the fact it was almost three in the afternoon and he hadn't eaten.
Oblivious to the fact that his stomach was trying to remind him of that.
Close to fifty in age he walked with a slight limp. A limp that had helped him make the leap from enlisted to officer. He walked with a confidence one got only from age and experience.
Well aware of his surroundings, he heard the feet walk down the perfectly polished hallway. When the feet came to his door he simply spoke, "Come in."
He pulled a pen from his desk and signed the paperwork.
Three days left on the job.
Five days left in the Army.
He was inundated with paperwork a requests. People weren't even being subtle about what they wanted. It was comical to a point.
There had been requests ranging from a beer making kit to fifty brand new hummers.
Sanderson glanced up at the silence to see who was there. If it were someone from his base they would have started with "Sir" or "Colonel". If it were his wife she would have been far less formal.
He looked and saw a man in civilian clothing. Khaki pants. White button up shirt. Shined shoes. Similar to an event in his past that had led to Selection.
Immediately he spoke, "I can save you time right now my answer is no. I'm retiring. I'm moving to someplace warm to be a stay at home father and my wife's bedroom toy. I'm out. I'm too old anyway."
The average looking white man sat down in the leather chair in front of the desk as Sanderson stamped the paper and put it on the corner of his desk. From another stack he took a file and opened it, looking over a new acquisition form.
Paperwork was one thing the Army could do that rivaled even the Air Force. One could get lost in paperwork for the simplest things.
The man's voice had the faintest hint of an accent, "I'm not here to offer you a job as a operator."
"Well, I have no desire to be a desk jockey and I hate paperwork, so intelligence is out of the question. My Purple Heart will answer the teaching position for me. Unless you want to make me president…my answer is no."
His blue eyes scanned the form requesting thirty new jet skis.
Sanderson reached for his red stamp.
"What would you say about making colonel, colonel?"
With a sigh, Sanderson stamped the white paper and filed it. Then reached for another file. Hoping to work his way through the day's requests. He wasn't very hopeful, "I'm already a colonel. Being base commander elsewhere is not a dream and the aforementioned medal bans me from battle. Therefore the positions are limited."
The man looked around the office that held no personal objects.
No pictures.
Nothing but work related documents, papers, and such. He then looked to the base commander and former operator, a legend. "We were thinking of making you colonel of our little organization. I believe you are aware Colonel Wang suffered a stroke two days ago?"
For the first time Sanderson met his eyes.
Sanderson remained silent, his interest level had risen from 0 to 100. Though he would have never admitted it.
"The colonel will not recover and steps are being taken to relieve him of his command."
Still silent, Sanderson tried to calm his heart down into a normal rhythm. It wasn't working. He had wanted nothing more then to retire and enjoy life as a civilian again.
Never had he even imagined being offered such a position. A position he was more then qualified to fill.
"We want you as colonel of our particular organization. Come back to the community, you're resume is impressive, put it to use again."
His eyes remained on the man. Unreadable. Getting his heartbeat under control, Sanderson spoke, "I promised my wife I would retire."
"Yes, congratulations on the wedding colonel. I'm sure Mrs. Sanderson a former Army Brat, Army Widow and now Army Wife again will be understanding to whatever decision you come to."
The man reached into his pocket and took out a business card with nothing more then a number.
He set it on Sanderson's desk, "You know what the position entails. You have till dawn."
The man stood and brushed out his pants for non-existent wrinkles. He then left Sanderson alone in his office.
Without a second thought Sanderson snatched the card and looked at the number that had not changed.
A million thoughts raced through his mind. All of them relating to how he could make it work. How he could keep his new marriage together after breaking a promise he had been making for the past two years. How he could move his family across the country after they had set down roots because of his promise of retirement. How he could pass up the chance of a lifetime.