Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.

Princess

By Suzie2b

Major Gleason had assigned the Rat Patrol to head security while a visiting general was in Ras Tanura with his wife.

When Hitch and Tully were told, Hitch asked, "Why would General Powell want to bring his wife into a war zone?"

Moffitt smiled. "I've no idea, but I have heard that it's not unusual for German officers to travel with their families regardless of where they are."

Tully remarked, "Just 'cause they do it doesn't mean we have to do it."

Troy said, "Doesn't really matter why. If a four star general wants to bring his wife to North Africa, no one's going to question it."

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Two days later six of Captain Nelson's MPs escorted General Powell, his wife Edith, and their small entourage from the airfield to base headquarters.

Major Gleason and the four men of the Rat Patrol met the staff cars out front. The imposing middle-aged general exited the car first and everyone came to attention. He then returned the salutes and introduced himself, "General Allen Powell. You must be Major Gleason."

"Yes, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."

A hand appeared through the open door. "Allen."

General Powell turned and took the hand, helping a woman out of the car. "This is Edith Powell, my wife."

Major Gleason bowed slightly and smiled. "How do you do, Mrs. Powell."

Edith opened a hand fan and quickly waved it in front of her face. "Not well I'm afraid. How do you manage in this heat?"

"It's something we all get used to once we've been here a while."

A ball of fluff began to squirm and whine in Edith's arms. "Princess needs a walk. I'd do it myself, but I would prefer to get out of this sun. Would two of your men be willing to take care of it?"

Major Gleason continued to smile, but only on the outside. "Yes, ma'am." He turned to Troy and his men. "Sergeant?"

Troy gave a nod. "Hitch, Tully, take Princess someplace where she can do … what she needs to do. Then bring her to Major Gleason's office."

Hitch said, "Right, sarge."

Tully was closest so he stepped over to take the dog as Edith said, "Now, don't put her down until she's in the shade. We don't want her little paws to get burned, do we?"

As Tully took the little dog from her, he said, "No, ma'am. We'll be real careful."

Edith patted Princess gently and kissed her black button nose. "Mama will see you shortly." Edith again looked at Tully and said, "She has a habit of slipping out of her collar, so keep an eye on her."

"Yes, ma'am."

General Powell offered his arm to his wife and they headed into headquarters with Troy and Moffitt trailing.

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Hitch and Tully took Princess into the alley next to headquarters where there was some loose sand and Tully put her down. He held the thin piece of pink leather that was the leash and said, "Wonder if Mrs. Powell has a dog walker at home."

Hitch watched the little dog sniff around. "I'd bet she has two, and they're probably both dressed in monkey suits."

Tully chuckled as Princess went over near the wall to do her "duty." "She probably eats and drinks from jewel incrusted bowls."

Hitch grinned. "Who, Princess or Mrs. Powell?"

Both privates laughed and Tully asked, "What the heck kinda dog is she anyway?"

"I believe Princess is a Pomeranian."

Before Tully could comment here was a quick jerk on the leash and when they looked down, there was an empty pink collar on the ground. Tully looked around, saying, "Where is she?"

Hitch spotted the little dog running out of the alley. "There she goes!"

Hitch and Tully took off at a dead run to chase Princess, calling her name as they went.

For having such short legs, that little dog could run like lightening. They had to chase her across the courtyard in front of headquarters and the only reason Hitch and Tully caught up to Princess was because Nurse Vicky was just stepping out of medical. Laughing at the sight, she knelt and called to Princess as she patted the ground.

When Hitch and Tully came to a halt, the dog was in Vicky's arms. Feigning concern for the dog, she said, "Poor little thing. What are you two brutes doing chasing this innocent creature?"

The privates worked to catch their breath as Hitch said, "Creature yes. Innocent no."

Tully said, "She belongs to General Powell's wife. She slipped outta her collar."

Vicky asked, "I heard there was a general coming. He brought his wife and dog along?"

Tully slipped the collar over Princess' head as Hitch shrugged and said, "I asked the same thing. Troy told me not to question what a four star general does."

"Probably the best way to handle it." Vicky let Tully take the dog from her and said, "Bye, Princess."

Tully asked, "How'd you know her name?"

Vicky laughed. "The way you two were yelling it as you chased her, I wouldn't be surprised if half the base knows it by now."

As Hitch and Tully walked back to headquarters, they had to endure being teased by those who'd seen their chase across the open courtyard. Every time someone called out Princess' name the little dog yipped and barked happily.

When they reached Major Gleason's office, Hitch and Tully found Troy and Moffitt in the hallway with the general's four man entourage. Troy grinned at the sight of Tully holding the dog and said, "Everything all right? You were gone quite a while."

Hitch said, "Yeah, everything's just great, sarge. She got loose and we had to chase her down."

Moffitt grinned. "Well, you were warned that she's an escape artist."

One of General Powell's men said, "Don't know how many times we've had to chase that dog down."

Tully knocked on the door and waited for Major Gleason to tell him to enter. He walked in and put the dog on the floor.

Mrs. Powell turned in her chair and grinned. "Well, there's my little Princess!" As the little dog ran to her, she asked, as if the animal would actually answer, "Did you have a nice walk?" Edith looked up at Tully. "She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

Tully manage a slight smile as he lied, "No, ma'am. No trouble at all." As he turned to close the door as he left, Tully saw Edith take a small bejeweled bowl of water off the desk and set it on the floor for Princess.

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The next morning Major Gleason took General Powell through the military sections of the base, explaining how things were done and why. This was the general's first visit to North Africa and he was interested in all aspects of the base. He was especially interested in the Rat Patrol and the jeeps he'd read so many reports about. Moffitt was all too happy to explain their job while Troy and the general's personal guards kept an eye on things.

Edith Powell was being escorted by Head Nurse Lieutenant Vicky Lawson through medical, who explained what the doctors and nurses did and how it was different than working in a hospital back in the states because of the wounds that were sustained due to the war. Then they walked through the hospital wards, where Edith spoke with the wounded and collected letters that she promised to have expedited through the army mail system. Hitch and Tully followed dutifully along with one of General Powell's men.

Tully got the "honor" of carrying Princess, since Edith was sure the dog preferred him over anyone else. It felt a bit odd to hold the little dog in the crook of his left arm so his right hand was free in case he had to use the sidearm he'd been assigned for this detail.

At lunchtime, the two groups met in the mess hall, where General and Mrs. Powell were given a quick tour of the kitchen before going to the dining area for something to eat.

Edith broke a piece of chicken apart to give to Princess along with a bowl of water. At this time, there was some argument about whether or not the mess hall should be closed while General Powell and his wife were there.

Troy argued, "The men on this, and every other base, are constantly on a tight schedule with little off time. When they do get a break, they deserve a hot meal and friendly company, not a closed door. I can guarantee that no one will bother General Powell or his wife."

The head of the general's entourage said, "I'm in charge of their safety and as long as I…"

Powell interrupted, "Lieutenant Graham, Sergeant Troy is right. We didn't come here to take over. I'm sure he and his men are more aware than we are of what the people here are like. If he says we won't be bothered, then I'm sure we won't be."

Graham nodded, but didn't agree. "Yes, sir."

Troy turned to his men and gave them their orders, which they immediately carried out. Troy stood next to the table.

Midway through the meal, Edith asked, "Sergeant Troy, do you think Privates Pettigrew and Hitchcock could take Princess outside for a few minutes?"

Troy said with a smile, "Yes, ma'am. I'm sure they wouldn't mind in the least." He signaled Hitch and Tully over. "Mrs. Powell would like you two to walk Princess."

Just then Edith cried, "Oh no! She's done it again!" She looked stricken as she held up the leash with its empty collar.

##################

Charley had just finished her deliveries and was walking back to headquarters when she heard whimpering and yipping in an alley. Whatever it was, it was in distress. She peeked around the corner into the alley and saw two Arab men with a small animal. They appeared to be shaving the fur off of it with knives as it struggled. When she realized that it was a small dog, possibly a puppy, Charley had to step in. She ordered the men to stop. "وقف ما تقوم به"

The two men stood up, one held the dog by a hind leg, and demanded that she mind her own business. "مراعاة اعمالك"

Realizing that the dog wasn't a local animal, Charley asked them what they were going to do with it. "ما هو مصير الكلب"

The men looked at her as if she were crazy. They had never seen a dog like Princess before and had thought she was a hairy rat of some kind. They had intended to take it home to their hungry families. If done right, they would eat for several days.

Charley offered to buy the "hairy rat" so they could purchase more palatable food. She took the coins she tended to carry out of her satchel and held them out to the men. One of them reached to take the money, but Charley snatched her hand back and demanded that they hand over the dog first.

With the small dog in her arms and the men gone, Charley looked at the shivering, whimpering, half shaved animal. "I bet you're Princess. Tully told me all about you." She noticed there was no collar and said, "Got out of your collar again, didn't you? Well, I heard the general and his wife were doing lunch at the mess hall. Let's go find them."

##################

Hitch and Tully scoured the mess hall and kitchen for Princess while the general's men, with the exception of Lieutenant Graham, went out to search the streets. General Powell tried to comfort his distraught wife.

Less than thirty minutes later the general's men returned. One had Princess under one arm and the other two pulled Charley along between them by the arms as she protested, "I told you, I didn't steal the dog! I found her!"

Edith stood and quickly went to take Princess into her arms. One look at her "baby" and she was horrified. "What happened to you, precious?"

Tully had heard his wife's voice and walked out of the kitchen with Hitch on his heels. Tully frowned when he saw the two men holding her. "Charley? What's going on?"

Charley explained, "I was going back to headquarters after my rounds, when I found two Arab men holding Princess and shaving her fur off. They thought she was a big rat…"

Edith hugged Princess and said indignantly, "A rat!"

Charley nodded and continued, "I managed to talk them into letting me buy her so they could go buy food for their families instead of…"

Edith gasped, "They were planning to eat her?"

"Yes, ma'am. There are some starving people in North Africa who would happily eat a rat, a dog, or anything else they can get their hands on."

General Powell asked the men holding Charley, "What's the story here?"

One of them said, "We caught her coming out of an alley with the dog. We thought she was trying to smuggle Princess out of the area."

Tully growled, "Let her go."

Edith nodded. "Yes, let her go. She was obviously trying to return Princess, not steal her." She looked at Charley and said, "Isn't that right?"

Charley replied, "Yes, ma'am. I knew you and the general would be here for lunch and I was hoping you would still be here."

"What's your name, dear?"

"Charley Pettigrew."

Edith looked at Tully with surprise as General Powell said, "Release her." They did and the general asked, "What's your rank? Are you a nurse or maybe a secretary?"

Charley shook her head. "No, sir. I'm a volunteer courier."

"And your relationship to the private?"

"We're married."

General Powell scoffed, "That's impossible."

Charley said, "My father found a loophole in the regulation concerning marriage."

"And who is your father?"

"Colonel Jackson Williams. He's stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia."

The general nodded, as if he might know who the colonel was. "I see. Thank you for returning my wife's dog. You can go now."

Charley hesitated, then said, "Sir, if I may…"

Troy frowned. "Charley, you need to leave now."

General Powell said, "It's all right, sergeant. What would you like to say?"

Charley looked at Troy, who nodded. Then she said, "Well, sir, I know where Princess can be cleaned up and her fur evened out a bit. I noticed she got a few minor cuts from the knives those Arabs were using to shave her. They should be looked at."

The general smiled for the first time since Princess had disappeared. "There's a dog groomer on base?"

"Not that I'm aware of, sir, but over at medical there are clippers, water, and soap. I'm sure Vicky … I mean Lieutenant Lawson would let us use them."

Powell looked at his wife, who said, "The hospital isn't terribly busy just now. If it's all right with the head nurse, then it's all right with me."

The general nodded. "All right. Lieutenant Graham, take one of your men and go with them."

The lieutenant held the chair as Edith rose with Princess in her arms. "Yes, sir."

Tully looked over at Troy. "Sarge…"

Troy nodded and Tully went with them as they set off for medical.

##################

The next day, Charley had just come out of the couriers' office at headquarters with her deliveries as Major Gleason escorted General and Mrs. Powell down the stairs. The major was saying, "It was good to have you and your wife here. I hope things were satisfactory in your eyes."

General Powell nodded. "I'm quite impressed by how things are run here, Major Gleason. I'll send a copy of my report to you."

"Thank you, general."

Edith said, "I, too, was impressed by what I saw here. It's nothing like what I imagined." She noticed Charley and smiled. "I want to thank you again for helping with Princess. You and Lieutenant Lawson did wonders." Edith went on to explain, "Allen and I were never able to have children. Princess is like having a child to me and my husband does indulge me."

Charley returned the smile readily. "We were happy to do it, ma'am … but might I suggest getting Princess a better fitting collar?"

General Powell chuckled. "I've already taken care of that by putting a few extra holes in it. Edith can buy a new one when we return home."

Troy and Moffitt arrived to help escort the general, his wife, and entourage to the airfield. Troy said, "My men are waiting outside with the cars whenever you're ready to go, General Powell."

"Right, let's be off then. Your men know their jobs well, major."

Edith allowed the general to take her elbow as she said, "Thank you, Major Gleason, for your hospitality."

Outside, Edith came to a stop in front of Tully as she and the general passed the jeeps. She looked up at the tall, broad private as he stood at attention. "You have something special out here. Treat her well."

Tully smiled. "I do my best, ma'am." He looked at the newly shorn dog in her arms and asked, "May I?"

Edith smiled. "Of course."

Tully scratched Princess behind the ears and she licked his hand. "Behave yourself."

##################

After the plane took off, Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully headed back to the jeeps. Hitch grinned at Tully and said, "You seemed to getting to like Princess. You going to get a Pomeranian when you get back home?"

Tully chuckled. "Those little ankle-biters aren't suited for farm life. Give me a hound for hunting or a mutt and I'm happy."

Moffitt questioned, "Ankle-biter?"

Troy grinned. "That's any dog that's too small to do anything but nip at your ankles."

Moffitt smiled. "You Americans and your idioms."