I replied, “Yes sir. I understand that. I’m just grateful that I’m the only one being charged. It was on my order alone that my ship left the formation. No one else knew about it ahead of time.”
“I believe you. I’ve done some research on you with people who know you. If nothing else, they tell me that you’re honest. Did you have this in mind before you left port?” he asked.
I replied, “I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t answer that type of question until I speak with my legal representative.”
He said, “You are the sharp one. I hope we don’t convict you. I’d like to have another dozen officers like you out there.”
I said, “Well, sir, there’s six more on my ship now. They weren’t much to speak of before, but they are now.”
He replied, “Really? Superb! You won’t mind then if I spread them among some other select ships?”
I answered, “No sir. I just hope that being associated with me doesn’t hurt their careers. By the way, Lieutenant Remm is actually ready to command a ship. I recommend just that. If I’m not convicted, I’ll put it in writing since it won’t hurt her chances then.”
“I’ll remember that. But, we’re getting away from you, son. Do you have anyone in mind whom you would like to represent you at trial?” he said.
I replied, “No sir. I’ll take my punishment if it’s due. I’m not going to wiggle out, even if some of the charges are bogus.”
He said, “If I weren’t the Fleet Admiral, I’d represent you myself, but then everyone else would be accusing me of influencing the trial judges.”
“I appreciate your feelings, sir, and your confidence,” I responded.
He said, “Okay, then let’s at least grant you the forty-eight hours continuance. I want you to think it over some more. See if you can get some legal representation. I’d rather have you out there instead of in a stockade. If nothing else, go get yourself laid and relax. You earned it. I’ll feel a little better if you are convicted in knowing that you received some minor consideration. As of now, the trial will commence at 0900 three days from now. Dismissed.”
I got up and saluted sharply, receiving a salute just as sharp from the old man. Then I turned around and left his office. I really didn’t expect that anyone could get me off the charges, whatever the final tally of charges turned out to be. The only things I could claim were that I kept alive most of my crew, brought in three prisoners which I found out shortly afterwards that no one else had done yet, and destroyed more ships than any other warship in our Navy had. That was hardly the kind of evidence to enter against the charges they were sure to bring up. As I walked out of the Headquarters building, the officers and crew of the Thurman were waiting outside for me.
Majel came up and asked, “Well, what’s going to happen?”
I answered, “I’m to appear before a court-martial in three days at 0900. Until then, I’m free to roam about the base and keep my weapons in case of an attack. No one else is going to be charged since it was on my orders that the ship left the squadron formation.”
“That’s not fair!” she said. “I ought to go inside there and give them back my commission if they’re going to railroad you.”
“No!” I said firmly. “You are needed by the Navy. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found yourself in command of a ship real soon. I think the rest of the officers are going to find themselves in demand soon as well. You’re among the best in the Navy now and they need you while this war is on. I’d hate to think that I put all that effort into helping you achieve that only to have you throw it away. I’d be real disappointed if you did.”
“Who’s representing you?” asked Mason.
I answered, “No one.”
“Now, who’s throwing away a career?” he asked.
I felt shocked for a moment, but his words rang true. I was giving up instead of fighting, even though I knew I was guilty. I had premeditatedly planned to leave the squadron. I couldn’t admit that even if I didn’t intend on doing it when I did. I had planned on doing it a little later, but the circumstances forced me to do it then or see us all probably die. “Do you have a suggestion, Mason, about someone to represent me?” I asked.
“Yes sir. I will,” Mason replied.
“You know what this can do to your career if they find me guilty anyway?” I asked.
He said, “I know what will happen to both of us if I lose. But, I haven’t lost any trials yet.”
“How many have you handled?” I asked.
He answered, “None, so my record is riding on you.”
I had to laugh along with the others who picked up on his joke.
Mason, Frank, and I, along with others who wrote out their sworn affidavits, in case they had to ship out before the trial, began putting my case together. If nothing else, we had lots of bridge and combat recordings to present as evidence on my behalf. Because they used Tamp-a-pruf video tape, they were fully admissible as evidence.
Majel came to me and made her offer once more. “Dave, now that we’re back and you’ve got some free time, you want to take me up on that offer I keep making?”
I surprised her. “Yes, right now I’d very much like to accept your offer. Who knows? In a few more days, I may be behind bars for a ten-year sentence.”
“It’s only five,” she answered.
“Ten in wartime,” I reminded her.
Majel asked, “When do you want me? We could go to your quarters now, if you’d like.”
“Sure. That sounds good to me,” I said as I accepted her hand in mine while we walked to my quarters.
We arrived at my quarters a few minutes later and started taking off our equipment and clothing. As I looked down at her shoulder pack, which seemed new, I noticed a hidden holster with an automatic pistol in it.
“I see that you’ve been shopping,” I remarked as I pointed at the shoulder pack.
She said, “Yes, he was such a nice man. He thought some sergeant had sent me to him. I explained to him that you had one and it saved your life against an electrical animal. You were right. He made me test fire it, take it apart, clean it, and then reassemble it before I could leave the store. He even traded me shoulder packs even up. This is a much better model than what I had, so I gave him a kiss for being so nice. He said it was the first kiss he had in years and wished me good luck and long life. When I walked out, Kyle was walking in. I guess I know what he went after, too.”
“I guess so.”
She asked, “Who’s the sergeant? The old man said that you were sent to him by a sergeant.”
I answered, “Sergeant Clark at the Academy.”
Majel exclaimed, “Oh! I remember him! So, he sent you. By the way, where did you get the marker and notepad? Shirley told me how you used one.”
“You didn’t get those while you were in the surplus store?” I asked.
She said, “You mean the same old man? Great! I’ll go by again and get those. I’ll even give him another kiss.”
Then Majel was kissing me as we fell onto the bed as a prelude to making passionate love to each other.
We were lying in bed, smoking a cigarette after some of the greatest sex I’d had in a long time, when we heard a knock at the door. Before I could get up and put something on, Majel said loudly, “Come on in!”
Kyle opened the door to see us both naked on the bed. He turned to leave and close the door, but Majel called him back. She exclaimed, “Oh, get your ass back in here! You’ve seen me and Dave naked before. Besides, we’re not doing anything now!
He said, “Well, I didn’t want to intrude. Anyway, I was going to look for you next anyway. I found out that you didn’t get a marker and notepad, so I picked up one of each for you when I got mine.”