2nd Edition
Even with the Coastal Starlight railroad, the valley is very isolated. In 1946, the only way in was the railroad. One day in 1946, a train running freight stopped in the valley. They unloaded freight car after freight car and many men.
When the train pulled away, they had built a mini tent city and within days they started constructing something. Every few days a freight train would stop and unload supplies and people. This always took place at night.
Within a year, it was clear that this construction was some kind of Army base. The base received regular shipments from the Union Pacific running on the Coastal Starlight railroad. Also, on rare occasions, the base would recieve an Army helicopter.
One warm night, in the cover of darkness, a freight train stopped at the new base. The Union Pacific crew were asked to stay in the locomotive while armed soldiers stood outside. Using a crane, a payload was unloaded from a flat car and the covered cargo was quickly whisked inside a large building.
After the mystery cargo was secured, a lone figure stepped off an Army pullman car that was located behind the locomotive. She cautiously stepped out of the pullman placing her high heel shoe firmly on the uneven platform. Steadying herself with the handrail she stepped out of the train. In full Army uniform, she saluted the officer that was there to greet her.
Becky was only at the base for a week, but during that time she was partnered with Sgt. Smith. Smith wasn’t his real name, but that’s classified. Becky and Stg.Smith developed a good banter with each other and it was nice having a woman at a base full of men.
On her last night, Becky asked Sgt. Smith if he could arrange for her to go outside the base so that she could experience the beauty of the valley. She had been locked up in the base and another one before that and she just wanted some time to take in some mother nature before she left.
After their shift, Sgt. Smith showed up at Becky’s room with a bottle of whisky. They shared a shot, maybe two, together and then he took her to a door where there were two guards. There was an exchange of words and then they opened the door to let her out.
“Please don’t get us in trouble.” One of the guards said as she stepped through the door.
“I just want to have a walk about and then I’ll be back. No one will know.” Becky said.
About 45 minutes later there was a knock at the door and the guards let Becky back into the base. “See. No one will ever know,” she said.
The next morning, a short train pulling some Army pullmans stopped at the base. Becky boarded the train, turned and saluted good bye to Sgt. Smith and the valley. After this, the trains continued to run supplies and personnel to the base, but Becky never returned.
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