"Get in the passenger seat," Angus ordered as he came out of the building with the bundle in his arms.

Bryan scooted out of the driver's seat and Angus handed him Sue Lee and the baby. In a minute they were on the way to the base hospital. Angus drove the Jeep right up on the sidewalk and almost through the glass doors. Within a minute there were three doctors attending the mother and child. Bryan and Angus sat waiting for some news after Sue Lee disappeared with the three white coated men.

"Which one of you big strong men is responsible for that?"

The doctor swung through the door of the waiting room to face the two men for the first time.

"Is she okay?" Bryan asked, giving it away.

"Mother and child doing fine. She had a bleeder. Lucky you boys happened on the scene to get her some help. We gave her some blood and she'll be fine. I would guess that baby is less than full blood Vietnamese. Would I be correct in making that assumption?"

The doctor directed the question at Bryan but he didn't expect an answer and if he got an answer he didn't expect the truth.

"Yes, sir," Bryan said, still failing to protect himself.

"We don't think so," Angus interrupted before Bryan could get on the record as the father. "She lives over Che Lam, the bar. Bryan heard her screaming and called the SP.

"So, he isn't admitting to being the father, right? You know how that'll complicate things for all of us if he's saying he is."

"No, he isn't saying that. We aren't saying that," Angus said, standing in front of Bryan before he had a chance to answer.

"Good! Now you know she can't stay here as a civilian. I treated her as an routine emergency."

"That sounds like what this is. I'll fill my report out that way. Random call. Random emergency."

"That was easy. You know if we put him on the birth certificate, well, questions will come of it," the captain said. "Best to leave the Vietnamese to do the birth certificate. No reason for any paperwork on it here. No reason for headquarters to see it."

"The kid won't have a father," Bryan said as the doctor waited for another objection from Angus.

"The boy will have the same father no matter what's written down on paper. Better he has a father that can do something for him than one in Leavenworth. Just let the Vietnamese take care of it. They aren't going to let you marry her no matter what's on the birth certificate. They'll probably ship you out of here once they get wind of this. Just let it go for right now."

"You boys ought to know better. For God's sake use a God Damn condom before you go at it. Disease is rampant in this backwater, not to mention this. It can all be prevented. All of it."

"What do we do to get the least amount of feedback?" Angus asked.

"I think the feedback is about to begin. That's the Shore Patrol out there looking your Jeep over, isn't it? You are SP, aren't you."

"Yeah, yeah. I was on duty when the call came."

"Good, I'll ignore these guys. You handle them. I have an emergency to deal with."

"Shit!" Angus said as he looked out the window to see the Jeep surrounded and his biggest adversary was among the war party.

"Can I see her?" Bryan asked. "I want to tell her I love her before this happens."

"She's pretty weak. Needed quite a bit of blood. I don't guess it would hurt for a few minutes. Just let her rest for a while. She'll be fine once she comes around."

"Can you handle that?" Bryan asked Angus, looking from the doctor to his friend, looking very much like a guy who was not yet prepared to face the music.

"It'll be easier if you aren't around, Bosco. You can get back by yourself? I'll get rid of the reinforcements. I'll handle this doc. Random emergency, okay."

"Okay! She'll need transport back whenever she's strong enough," the captain said. "I have a wagon out back. I'll see she gets back without any fanfare. Might be tomorrow."

"Thanks," Angus said. "I'll try to turn the heat down."

Angus burst out through the doors of the hospital, looking a little like the Duke charging the bad guys with arms swinging and elbows locked to his side, forcing his arms out in front of him.

"You boys ain't aiming to steal my Jeep now was yeah?" Angus joked. "Gov't frowns on theft of military property."

"Funny you should mention that. I figured this was our Jeep," the tall broad shouldered sailor said. "Something about the color, you know. Gives it away every time."

"Yeah, Powell, it's one of ours. On a mission of mercy to this here sawbones. You know, damsel in distress and that kind of a thing. I got the call afore you folks came on duty. I figured it would be best for all of us if I answered it, just in case. Turned out to be nothing more an a little lady in gastric distress."

"You're gastric distress, McCoy. I thought you was Pollock. What would you know about mercy?" The voice was big like the man. He came in the second Jeep, as though the job required his assistance.

"Sistekk, you don't want to start with me. I ain't slept in two days. This was a mission of mercy, no more, no less. Let it go."

"Yeah, Pete, it all looks peaceful here. Jeep's on base and with the guy who we were supposed to relieve. It'll look better if we just leave it at that. I don't want no one asking no questions about why I was late," Powell said, waving the big man away as he headed for the driver's side of his Jeep.

"Yeah, Powell, you run on back to daddy. I'm going to do what they pay me to do," Sistek said.

"Be an asshole," McCoy said. "I want you to know how proud we all are because you're such a good one."

Powell leaped back out of his Jeep, intercepting the two men at the front fender before blood was shed. He found himself wedged tightly between the two of them.

"All right! All right! Back off, both of you. You want to take each other apart? I don't want to be part of it. Let me get out of here and you can kill each other. I can't see where it will be much of a loss no matter which one of you fat heads comes out on top. I got a shift to run and you're on it Sistek. I ain't covering for you."

Once again, the two men backed off.

"I've got a job to do. I want to know what this Jeep is doing here. Cochran sent us out to find it and McCoy."

"Cochran sent you?" Angus asked.

"Yeah, you know he's just waiting for you to cross the line."

"Yeah, and I think we got the goods this time," Sistek said, eyeballing the front door of the hospital.

"Cochran will want to know what you're doing over here with one of his Jeeps. You know Sistek will play it for all its worth."

"Yeah, we want to know what's up, McCoy," Sistek said.

"I'd explain it to you but I wouldn't want to confuse you," Angus said to Sistek.

The heavy set sailor came at Angus yet again. This time the fourth sailor stood in between them.

"Sistek, get the fuck out of my way. I'm tired of his shit."

"You ain't going to fight him on my watch," said Sistek, looking a little bit like a midget at five eight and a hundred and thirty pounds.

Powell stuck his hand out to force Sistek back yet again. " Damn I'm glad you're on nights, McCoy. This gets old real quick. Let's get the Jeeps back and you can go do whatever it is you do while we work. I don't really give a rat's ass what you been up to."

Angus stood fast, fists at the ready, not taking his eyes off the man who seemed determined to get into it with him. They'd gotten on one another's nerves since Sistek showed up three months earlier. Powell was the senior man and always ran one of the shifts, and while Cochran didn't like anyone, he liked Angus least of all because he was the hardest to manage and showed him no respect. Therefore, Cochran always took the side of Sistek in these petty arguments. This had given Sistek a false sense of superiority and like any young bull, he was always ready to prove his superiority to another young bull. The two of them had their differences before but someone always separated them before anyone got hurt. Neither of them minded giving it one more try. It seemed an inevitability to both of them.

"Yeah, well, that's where you and I part company, Powell. I do care what he's been up to. It's my job and I intend to do it," Sistek said.

"I'm telling you to let it lie. We found the Jeep. I'm satisfied with the explanation about what it is doing here, now let's go back and let Cochran know we're all squared away once more."

"I got a feeling you fucked up this time, McCoy. I know you, McCoy. When you fuck up, you fuck up big time."

"Yeah, well, my daddy taught me that if I was going to do a thing, I should ought to do it well," Angus said. "Knock yourself out."

"I think I'll just hang around and collect the facts. You know about facts don't you, Powell? They're little details we put on the reports we file."

"Sistek, you bust my balls and create any more work than I already got, I'm going to make it hard on you, boy."

"Yeah, well maybe I'll end up with your job. You're going to catch it this time, McCoy. I can just feel it in my bones. You get away with murder," Sistek said. "But I'm on the job now."

"No, if I got away with murder, you wouldn't be around, asshole," Angus said, leaning toward his tormentor without lowering his fists. Powell pushed them further away from each other as he stayed cautiously between them.

"Will you two children cool it. We've got to see the Jeep gets back into its parking place and you'd best come back to explain what it's doing here. All I got to say is you brought someone over to the hospital for treatment. Just an Emergency. You can explain the rest, but knowing Brass Ass, he's already called over here to get the skinny. It don't matter much what Sistek does."

"I ain't going to lie," Angus said. "I got a call from a friend and it required a trip to the hospital. Maybe I shouldn't have used the Jeep but in my judgement it was necessary. It's not like they don't sit out there most of the time anyway. If someone else would get their lazy asses up in the morning, I might be able to get some instruction on my lousy judgement in calls like this."

"Have it your way," Powell said. "I'm not saying shit past what I said."

Angus followed the other Jeep back to the Provost Marshall's. Sistek stayed behind and went into the hospital. In a minute Angus was in Commander Cochran's office standing at attention, waiting for the irrational diatribe that he was all too familiar with whenever his commander found something he deemed serious enough to call him onto his carpet.

"You take my Jeep off this base, McCoy?" Cochran ordered. "I know about your little trip to the hospital. I know all about the girl."

"Yes, sir. It was an emergency in my opinion. I was waiting to go off duty when the call came."

"You were off duty at 8:00a.m. I checked with the gate. You went through after 8:30a.m. Where was the morning shift?"

"8:32a.m., sir. No one else had reported to work when the call came, sir. It sounded serious and I responded."

"I checked your desk. I saw no report on it. I assume if it was official business there would be an official report, McCoy? Isn't that how it is done in my Provost Marshall's office?"

"Yes, sir, absolutely, sir, but I regarded it as an emergency. I can file the report now, sir, or any time you wish. We surely can't be expected to file paperwork before going out on emergencies, that doesn't sound like good policy."

"McCoy! You didn't have my authorization to take the Jeep off the base. You or one of your friends getting themselves between a rock and a hard place isn't official business to me. I know the story, McCoy. What's your report going to say. I'm not going to like what it says, am I, McCoy?"

"No, sir. I'm certain you won't but why change things now?"

"That makes it a matter of unauthorized use of a military vehicle. We are the police here. How does it look? How do you think it makes me look? People will laugh at me. They'll say I have no control over my command, but you know that isn't true, don't you, McCoy."

The commander turned his back and faced the windows, holding his hands thoughtfully behind him as he spoke. He turned on Angus as he finished talking.

"I was called by a sailor who needed assistance. In my judgement it sounded like an emergency and it required the use of the Jeep. No one was here to advise me. I used my best judgement, sir."

"Your best judgement, McCoy?"

"Yes, sir. My very best judgement of all."

"You know what I think of your judgement, don't you, McCoy?"

"Yes, sir. I am quite aware that you think my judgement sucks."

"Was this sailor a friend of yours by any chance? Do you know him?"

"Yes, sir. I wouldn't have gone off base for a stranger, sir. I believed him when he said it was an emergency. I didn't know it concerned a Vietnamese national, sir. Had I known that, I would have called the local authorities, sir, but I didn't, so I didn't and when I got there, well, sir, the base doctors can best explain why I needed to transport her."

"Is he Shore Patrol? This friend of yours?"

"No, sir."

"You want to identify him to me?"

"I know him as Bosco, sir. I don't know his real name."

"We get back to unauthorized use, Seaman McCoy. That's a temporary rank right now. I don't envision you keeping your rating for long if I have anything to do with it. I've been waiting for you to step over the line. I was sure this morning was the day. It's such a nice day. I'm going to enjoy this a hell of a lot more than you are, McCoy."

Cochran once again turned to look at the window as he spoke, turning to face Angus when he delivered the punch line, the volume of his voice rising with each of the words in the final sentence.

There was a tapping on the door that Cochran almost missed while doing his slow burning commander routine that he had developed carefully over the years to browbeat his charges into submission.

"I'm busy," Cochran yelled too loud. "You know I'm busy. Get away from my Goddamn door until I'm done with him."

The door opened a few inches but nobody ventured in. A weak voice broke in once Cochran finished talking. Cochran wheeled, enraged, that his order had been disobeyed.

"Are you deaf, sailor. I'll have your ass in here next."

"That Admiral's here, sir," Sistek said softly without appearing at the door but speaking through the crack. "Wants to know what you're so heated up over. I gave him the lowdown, sir."

"Okay, McCoy, I'll deal with you later. Sistek, call the hospital and get me the details on McCoy's special delivery, toot sweet. I want that information as quick as you can get it. No sense in holding up the filing of charges. I'll finish with you later, McCoy. Get the hell out of my office."

"Yes, sir," Sistek said, delighted as an Admiral pushed the door wide open and came through as though it was his office he was entering.

"This inconvenient, Commander? I can call back. I've got some other appointments I could shuffle around if absolutely necessary. Don't want to interrupt a man who sounds like he's on quite a roll. Nothing like discipline to keep the Navy well oiled."

"This is regarding that incident you mentioned to me earlier, Admiral?"

"Yes, I believe my aide talked to you regarding the situation we ran across yesterday. I wanted to talk to you face to face so you understood the situation. This isn't something I want to talk about over lines that might not be secured. This is your command and I'm merely asking your cooperation."

"No, problem, sir. McCoy, you wait until the Admiral and I have conducted our business. We should know more about your little sojourn by then. Consider yourself restricted to quarters until I've decided what to do with you. Get out ah here."

"Yes, sir," McCoy said, giving a snappy salute and turning to leave the office and coming face to face with the Admiral.

"Thought I recognized you, son. Admiral Kelly, you showed me around my first time in country a few months ago. You doing okay, son? I was aiming on looking you up."

"Of course I remember, Admiral. Nice to see you again, sir. How's your son doing? He stateside now?"

"You remembered! He's fine. Got his leg shot up is all. Yes, he's back stateside. Running them ragged at the Pentagon. He wanted to come back over but I had a friend who had a friend that needed an aide, you know how it is when you're top gun. People falling all over you to do you a favor. Nothing like a little sloopy ass kissing, huh, son."

The Admiral shook Angus's hand rather than accepting the salute that was already in motion. "Good to see you son. I trust you haven't gone over to the enemy? Sounds damn serious in here."

"No, sir, just poor judgement on my part, I think. No harm intended, sir. Just trying to do my job."

"A lot of that going around, son," Admiral Kelly said thoughtfully. "That's why we keep fighting wars over here. Damn poorist judgement I seen in some time."

"Yes, sir," Angus said, pulling the door closed with a smile on his face. What timing, he thought.

*****

"What's the problem with McCoy? I found him to be efficient and a fine Seaman. He was assigned to me and he proved to be quite helpful on my last visit here. That's when Commander Nelson was in charge, I believe. I hope it's nothing serious," Admiral Kelly said. "I heard you chewing him out."

"He had one of our Jeeps off base without permission. I'm still sorting through it, Admiral. I haven't found his explanation acceptable. McCoy's a bit hard headed. Frankly, he's been a pain in my ass. He's a drinker, you know."

"Yeah, Ballantine Scotch as I recall. We turned a few at the Officer's club. I'd just gotten word my son was wounded up near Ashau Valley. Didn't know how serious it was at the time. McCoy volunteered to sit with me for a day and a half until word came down he was okay and on a hospital ship. Hell, commander, I drank myself through WWII and Korea. Man who doesn't drink isn't worth his salt in my book. That boy can drink me under the table, but he did it quietly."

"Yes, sir. I've found McCoy to be a handful."

"Let me know what you find out," Admiral Kelly said. "I'll want to make sure he's not hurt by this, if you catch my drift. Hell, I was thinking of taking him on my staff. Wouldn't do to have too many black marks against him, you know. No, I wouldn't like that."

"Yes, sir, Admiral. I'll see to it he's given a stern warning about his conduct. We can hold off on any punishment if he gives me an explanation I can accept. It's a discretionary thing as I see it," Commander Cochran explained uncomfortably.

"Good! Good! I was hoping you weren't going to force me to pull rank on you. I don't like getting into another man's ballgame, but when I see a good sailor being abused, I can't hold with that. Glad to see you're a fair man. It's always good to deal with someone fair."

"Of course not, sir. What is it I can assist you with? It sounds serious. I'm not sure what it has to do with us."

"Well, first off, let me say, I was never here and I certainly never briefed you on what I'm about to tell you. This has wide ranging implications that run all the way back to the states, and it all seems to originate right here. I've been asked to close the net on this end of the operation and I wouldn't do that without briefing the man who might be in the middle of it."

"You tell me what I can do for you, and then consider it done, Admiral."

*****

Angus walked to his billet and immediately installed himself on his bunk without bothering to remove his uniform or his boots. It seemed like too much trouble at the time. He always hated it when he crashed after being on a tear. A little sleep would leave him even more irritable and ill tempered than usual.

A smile did manage to cross his lips as the first mellow wisp of sleep approached his consciousness. He'd done something good today, he remembered. He'd helped bring a life into the world. It wasn't much of a world to be brought into, but oh what a glorious child had arrived. Angus had never given any thought to childbirth before. He knew nothing about what it took to get born before. Now he knew and now he smiled and sleep came over him with one final easy surge.

At nineteen Angus was as irritable as anyone as unsociable as most. Things moved too slowly, especially in the military world, and he moved much too swiftly for anything to run smoothly. Scotch did slow him down enough to make him appear to be in the proper gear going at the proper pace, but then he would find himself at work with Commander Cochran doing his impression of a commanding office, not to mention Sistek, who fancied himself promotion material simply because he was willing to kiss any ass, moving or stationary, if he thought it might mean promotion.

Angus knew his idea of serving his country while putting a notch on his belt that would eventually lead him toward a career as a police officer wasn't going all that smoothly. When he first plotted it out in his mind, it seemed not only logical but noble, but that was before he understood the military way of doing things. Any idea that he might get more than a rudimentary education in police work in the Shore Patrol was gone.

Now all he hoped for was not to get a court martial on his record before he was honorably discharged. That would end any hope of ever being a cop, but as simple as it sounded, Angus knew that his temper, along with his contempt for his new commanding officer, might be his undoing. Sleep had started off as a welcome ally but it turned restless and surly once his mind got to work on his circumstances and to Angus the only thing worse than no sleep was too little sleep. His anger was near the surface when he was awakened.

"McCoy! McCoy!" The voice was irritating and Angus was irascible and in no mood to be toyed with. "McCoy, get off your lazy ass and come with us."

"Sistek, I just got off two twelve hour shifts and then some. I ain't slept in forty-eight or more. Whatever your problem is, back off while you're still able." Angus spoke with his face still in his pillow, giving his words a muffled sound, but every muscle in his body was coiled.

"Don't get on me. Cochran wants your ass. Told you, you fucked the pooch this time, McCoy. You figure no one was going to notice the kid?"

"Yeah, McCoy, you'd better come on. Cochran said right away," Powell said, being more tactful. "You can straighten him out and be back asleep in an hour."

"What the fuck time is it?" Angus said, finally lifting his head but he couldn't find his clock.

"Three-thirty," Powell said. "You've had five hours."

Angus held his head in his hands, after he'd swung his feet onto the floor. Two bottles of Scotch always made his head feel more like what a quart of Scotch looked like. It took him awhile to become oriented to his surroundings. As he stood Sistek shoved him toward the door. Angus turned on him with wide opened eyes and Powell moved in-between them before Angus could take the shot that he'd been waiting to take for too long. He tried to regain control for the ride back to the office.

"McCoy, you got enough trouble. Don't add anything else."

"I'm going to kick the shit out of you Sistek. You touch me again and I'm going to deck you. I don't care who stands between us."

"Yeah, right, McCoy, you really scare me, you know."

"Cool it, Sistek, or I'll let him get his shot. I'm tired of you two."

Powell stayed between the two men until Angus was seated in the back of the Jeep. He leaned back and closed his eyes for the two minute drive. Powell seemed to aim at every pothole and obtrusion in or near the road. He nearly ran down two joggers and then blew his horn as an afterthought as they passed. His stopping and starting techniques needed some work. He jarred Angus unmercifully as his head thumped out the Anvil Chorus.

As Angus got through the door of the Provost office, Sistek pushed him one good sturdy shove as Commander Cochran looked up from where he stood stirring his newly poured coffee. Angus turned and cocked his arm and this time nothing was going to prevent him from giving the man what he'd been asking for.

"McCoy!" Cochran shouted as Angus struggled to obey his commanding officer's command.

"That son of a bitch touches me one more time. If he comes within arm's length. I'm going t ..."

"You're in enough God damn trouble, McCoy. I'd suggest you curb whatever self-control you have and curb it now, damn you."

Angus shook as he stepped up and away from Sistek as Powell put himself between them.

"Your ass is all hot air, McCoy," Sistek said, leaning back against a desk ten feet to the rear of the man he sought to provoke. "I'm right here. I've been right here for months."

"Sistek," Cochran growled. "Both of you, end this petty shit right here and right now. I'm not telling either of you again. This isn't a boy's club."

"Yes, sir," Sistek said reluctantly.

Angus stood silent, watching the commander's hand stirring, stirring, stirring his coffee.

"Okay, McCoy, I want your side of the story on this unauthorized use of a Naval vehicle thing we've got here. I've got the papers written up. You give me an explanation and I can file them with a reprimand. Otherwise you're going up on charges. This isn't your private fleet to do with as you please. I want the whole story and I want it now."

"Hardly," Angus said softly.

"What's that, McCoy," Cochran demanded. "You don't want to try me boy. Better men than you have tried me and they wish they hadn't. You don't have any friends here now. We're going to get it done and it will be resolved without anyone disturbing us."

"Yes, sir."

Angus had been in hot water before. During his first few months after basic, he specialized in hot water. He never quite got far enough over the line to get anything permanent on his record, but he was threatened more than once. Cochran was only the latest military officer who didn't like his attitude. What Angus lacked was the ability to change it.

"I've told you everything. I'll write the report. What do you want it to say?"

"I want the names. I want to know who the woman is. I want to know who the father of the baby is. It's simple. You answered the call and you say it was in the line of duty. Write out the facts so unauthorized use of a vehicle will then become authorized. I'm quite willing to give you an opportunity to right your wrong, McCoy. I'm a fair man. I want the names."

Angus knew there was an angle to Cochran's speech. Nothing was that simple with him. He thought he knew what Cochran wanted but he wasn't going to give it to him. There was loyalty to a friend that came high on the list of assets Angus believed in. There was also his disdain for Cochran, not as a Naval officer but as a man.

After five minutes Angus scrawled out his signature and tossed down his pen. He even picked up the form and took it over to Cochran, not making him come for it. Immediately Cochran was engrossed in the details of an incident that had all started with a phone call at 8:24 a.m. that morning. He read each entry on the form carefully.

"I want the names," Cochran said. "You've neglected to give me the names. It's not any good to me without the names."

"Names, I didn't get the names," Angus answered. "I know the guy as Bosco."

"I want the name, McCoy. The name."

"I don't know if that's a first name, last name, or nickname. The girl was bleeding to death when I got there and we were never officially introduced, sir. The hospital might have her name," Angus advised.

The door opened and someone slipped in behind Sistek and Powell. All eyes were on Commander Cochran and Angus as the confrontation continued.

"The hospital doesn't have anything except she was indigenous, treated in an emergency, and released. Who was she to you McCoy? That's what I want to know."

"I told you I've never seen her before. I got the phone call at 8:24. It was a voice I recognized. I assumed it was naval personnel that was in trouble. I went to the aid of the caller. I found the girl and transported her to the hospital because she was in serious trouble."

"This is useless without the names. I want to know who the soldier, sailor, or marine was. I want to know who the father of the child is. Without someone else to take credit, you become the logical suspect, McCoy. Are you the father?"

"No, sir."

He could hear Sistek chuckling behind him as the commander grilled him non-stop. Angus became more determined to protect his friend from what he knew would be an inquisition if they knew he had fathered a child. He felt safe because no one knew who it was but him.

"I didn't ask for names. Jesus, things were a little screwy. What do you need names for? No laws were broken and everything came out fine," Angus said, adding a humorous touch to take the edge off the disagreeable nature of the gathering. "The girl lived and if having a baby out of wedlock is a crime, well, lots of that going 'round."

"You know the regulations on this. Our guys aren't to do it with their girls. That's the rules we go by. Now, I want the names."

"Hardly any alternative if you're a red blooded American boy. Even you should be aware of that, sir." This time the humor was replaced with contempt.

Angus hated it when he lost control of himself. He knew this always meant he had given his opponent the upper hand, but he couldn't resist the opportunity to let Cochran know he didn't respect him as a man. His commander did not miss the implications.

"I want his name. I don't care who she is. That'll come out at his court martial. You didn't steal a military vehicle to help a stranger, McCoy. I know that. You know that. You've got what I want and I'm going to get it. You are sworn to uphold the rules. I can only imagine that your reason for not giving me the names is that you are implicated in this somehow. You went there because it was your child, maybe."

"I told you, he wasn't a stranger. I knew him. We drink together," Angus said. "I just never checked his ID. Sorry, sir. Is that against the rules?"

"His name, McCoy? We can stay here all night if you like."

"I know him. I've drank with him. See him in town at Che Lam. He might have told me his name. I don't remember it. I don't know it as far as I know. I might have remembered to get it if you hadn't sent the two Stooges to get me."

"Well, you know what it looks like," Cochran said without waiting for Angus to finish. "To me it looks like if no one takes credit for being the father, you're it, McCoy. I'm assuming you didn't go there for no reason. She must have been your girlfriend," Cochran deduced. "She must have been the one to call. I think we are getting to the bottom of this. I'm willing to go with that. I name you the father."

"McCoy, you sly dog," Sistek said, shoving Angus a firm jolt from behind, knowing there was no danger of anything happening in front of the commander. "You been playin' hide the sausage with one of those gooks. Ha! Ha! Ha!" came the exaggerated laugh from the sneering seaman.

Sistek had no fear but he should have been ducking instead of laughing right then. At another time the word gook wouldn't have bothered Angus in the least, but this time it brought all his anger to the surface. He couldn't hit Cochran but there were no such limitations concerning his rival. For whatever the reason the word gook hit his hot button with Angus. The mother wasn't a gook. She was a beautiful, strong, and courageous young women, but it wasn't just for her that Angus struck.

Sistek's feet came up off the floor about two inches before he was propelled backwards, his back sliding across the desk that stood between him and the door, before he landed at Admiral Kelly's feet.

"I seem to have arrived at a bad time for you again, Commander."

All eyes went from the disappearing Sistek to the Admiral as his audience froze in place.

"McCoy, you do have a way about you. The carpet in Commander Cochran's office must get a lot of wear with you around."

"Yes, sir," Angus said.

"This is what I put up with, Sir," Cochran said.

"I can see he's a man who could use some discipline."

The Admiral had seen the entire episode and he'd quietly appreciated the punch that had laid Sistek low, but he had a larger plan in mind, and being ever vigilant, he was immediately plotting a way to make the most of the circumstances that were presented to him. He had suspected that Cochran would pull something on McCoy and Kelly wasn't going to have it but he was supposed to have good timing, he was an Admiral.

Angus, sensing he had gone too far, decided to finish what he had started.

"Sue Lee was her name and she isn't a gook," Angus said. "In fact she's one of the bravest women I have had the pleasure to know."

"So you do know the girl?" Cochran said. "Now we're getting somewhere. His name. I want the name of the father."

"I was told her name. I've never seen her before today."

"You're not going to give him up, are you, McCoy?" Cochran followed.

"No, sir. I've give you all I have to give."

Angus didn't hate losing control this time. In fact he felt good about it. He wished he hadn't done it in front of an Admiral though.

"You can't strike another seaman, seaman. You're on report. I want those god damn names, McCoy, and maybe, just maybe these charges will go away. I might have been on thin ice with the unauthorized use, but I've got an Admiral as a witness on assault charges. I'm going to bust you so low you'll never get back up to seaman third by the time I'm finished with you."

"I'm afraid you can't do that, Commander. I hate to interrupt your little party but I've foolishly made other plans for McCoy," Admiral Kelly announced.

"Admiral Kelly, he's out of control."

"I see McCoy can be a handful," Kelly said in his admiral's voice. "But I had my XO cut orders assigning him to my command. My XO gets really pissy if I change plans on him, but we won't have any trouble disciplining McCoy."

"This isn't the half of it. I've been having trouble with him since I arrived. This will put an end to that. He can't strike another seaman. I won't tolerate it," Cochran ranted. "He's going to spend some time in the brig."

"I've got ways of taking care of seaman that do this sort of thing. You aren't going to argue with an Admiral, are you, Commander?" The admiral looked at his insignia and then looked back at Commander Cochran. "I know you aren't arguing with me."

"No, sir. I was just expressing my concern, sir."

"I can assure you that he won't escape without getting what he deserves, Commander. I'm in a lot better position to see he is properly taken care of over an extended period. I take it you don't have any objections if I take it from here, admiral to commander? My driver is waiting and I've already seen the floor show."

"No, sir, of course not. Very well, sir. He's all yours," Cochran said without reluctance.

"McCoy, get your sorry ass out into the back of my Jeep. You're going to find out that working for an Admiral requires a hell of a lot more professional conduct than you've shown me here, son. You by God will toe the mark from here on out," Kelly said, putting his chin up to Angus's chin as he spoke way too loud for their proximity.

Angus headed for the door and Sistek backed up two steps when he passed him. He still held his jaw from the stiff jab Angus had introduced to him.

"You have his file handy. I'll want to see what he's been up to previously," Kelly said. "Should be interesting reading on my way back to the fleet."

"Yeah, it's on my desk. I was just recommending a court martial, sir. I'll send it along once I've finished with it."

"Just think of him as my responsibility, Commander. Don't trouble yourself with him any longer. I want to do that for you since you've been so helpful to me. Just consider it my little thank you gift. McCoy's my headache now."

Kelly followed Cochran and took the folder when it was offered to him.. He turned and started out of the office.

"Nice doing business with you, Commander. I'll be getting out of your way now."