report was long and heavy, and landed with a thump.
The thump seemed to echo in the pregnant silence that followed. Jeffrey waited for the admiral to speak, to pronounce sentence on him, to inform him of his fate.
“I told you to show some initiative, Captain, but good Lord!”
“Sir?”
“All your machinations in South America caused some heavy political flak in Washington. You practically started a war between State and SECDEF!” The Department of State and the secretary of defense.
“A war for my head, sir?”
“Still such a direct lad, aren’t you?”
“I did what was needed at the time, Admiral.”
“And then there’s the matter of the
Jeffrey grew crestfallen.
“You performed brilliantly.”
“Admiral?”
“I didn’t tell you to go out there and commit suicide. I told you to protect the convoy at all costs. And you did. The convoy was protected from the
“But the
“Yes. On the one hand, you’ve left yourself more work to do about that, down the road. On the other hand, you’re still alive and your ship is intact to conduct that work. And on the third hand,
“Temporarily.”
“Temporarily can be like forever in a war of this kind.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“Anyway, to return to the main point, you’ve presented us all with a quandary.”
“Sir?”
“Ultimately, bending or disobeying orders, or interpreting them too creatively or aggressively, is judged by the results, not the ways and means or good intentions.”
“I understand, Admiral.”
Jeffrey waited for the reprimand.
“You’re being awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.”
“We considered another Medal of Honor, but it didn’t seem quite the thing. That’s more for individual valor, conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, blood and gore and that sort of thing.”
Jeffrey kept his mouth shut.
“What you did showed broader leadership and judgment talents. Good communication and negotiation skills with an important new coalition partner, handled superbly under adverse and trying circumstances. And outstanding weighing of your tactical versus strategic alternatives in an important part of one of history’s most decisive fleet engagements.”
“Sir, I don’t know what to say.”
Hodgkiss peered at Jeffrey again. “You thwarted the Axis plans in South America completely, and turned a skeptical neutral into a friend. You helped maintain the status quo on land in Central Africa, when we were really on the ropes there for a while…. The Axis have reached their high-watermark. The last few weeks were like Stalingrad, or El Alamein, or Midway, in World War Two. The enemy threw everything they had at us, everything, set the sneakiest traps they could possibly think to invent. And we held the line, and made significant gains, and gave the bastards a bloody nose they’ll never forget. The tide is starting to turn, thanks in part to your efforts.”
“Thank you, sir.” It was all still sinking in.
Hodgkiss’s phone rang.
He picked it up and snapped, “I said we weren’t to be disturbed!” Hodgkiss listened. “Of the Naval War College?” He listened again.
Hodgkiss handed the phone to Jeffrey. “It’s for you. The president of the United States.”
Jeffrey stood up and took the phone. He almost dropped it, he was so flustered. “Commander Fuller speaking, sir.”
“Welcome home, Captain,” that familiar voice said from the other end of the line.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I’m sure you’re busy with all sorts of navy things down there, but can you come up to Washington the day after tomorrow?”
“One moment please, sir.” Jeffrey put his hand over the phone. “He wants to know if I can go to Washington in two days.”
Hodgkiss glared at him. “When the president asks you something like that, you say
Jeffrey spoke into the phone. “Yes, Mr. President.”
“Good. We’re having a ceremony I think you should be at. That SEAL lieutenant who worked for you, Felix Estabo, is getting the Medal of Honor. And our new ally, Getulio da Gama, will be in town talking cooperative tactics.”
“I’d be delighted to attend, sir.”
“I already spoke to the secretary of energy. He’s passed my invitation on to your parents.”
“My parents?”
“Of course. We’ll kill a few birds with one stone, and you’ll get your new medal all in the same show.”
“Thank you, sir.”
They ended the call.
“Nice reunion in D.C.?” Hodgkiss asked.
“You knew about this in advance?”
“The gist of it. I didn’t think he’d actually call you in
“Yes, Admiral.” Jeffrey was still standing. Now his head was spinning.
Hodgkiss came from around his desk and shook Jeffrey’s hand, then escorted him to the door. “She’s in the building somewhere. Go say hello. She’s very good at reading your mind long distance. But I think you ought to renew the acquaintance face-to-face, before the telepathic connection wears off.”
“Yes, sir.” Jeffrey started out the door.
“Oh, one other thing.”
Jeffrey braced himself. When an admiral threw in “Oh, one other thing” at the end of a meeting, it was usually a humdinger.
“That was absolutely terrific, Captain, the way you convinced Ernst Beck you really intended to sacrifice yourself and your ship to destroy him. That fabulous subterfuge was the pivot point in your confrontation with
Jeffrey stood there for a moment in the anteroom, thinking. The admiral’s aide and yeoman glanced at him quickly. They were used to people leaving formal audiences with the Great Man with big things on their mind.
Then it struck Jeffrey.
