There was another long pause.
"Where is this place, Charley? How do I get there?"
"You want to come here, Sir?"
"Either way, Galloway," Dawkins said. "I come there, or the three of you come out here."
"Hold one, Sir," Charley said, and covered the microphone with his hand. "Pickering, get on the horn and tell the Skipper how to get here from Ewa."
"Welcome to Muku Muku, Colonel," the silver-haired black man said as he opened the door of Dawkins' 1941 Plymouth staff car. "I'm Dennis, the chief steward. Mr. Pickering and his guests are on the patio. If you'll come with me, please?"
"What the hell is this place?" Dawkins asked as he looked around.
"Officially, Colonel, it is the Pacific and Far East Shipping Corporation's Guest House for Visiting Masters and Chief Engineers," Denny said. "But everybody calls it Muku Muku."
Dawkins followed Denny through the elegantly furnished house to the patio. A very large Polish woman in a gloriously flowered Muumuu saw him first and stood up. When she rose, so did Lieutenant Pickering. Lieutenant Dunn and a nurse a good six inches taller than he was were dancing to Glenn Miller records on a phonograph. They stopped dancing when they saw him, but they did not, Dawkins noticed, let go of each other's hands.
"Good evening, Sir," Pickering said. "Welcome to Muku Muku. Can Denny get you something to drink?"
"Where is Captain Galloway?" Dawkins said.
"He just went inside for a moment," Pickering said. "Excuse me, Sir. May I present Commander Kocharski and Lieutenant Ursery?"
Why am I not surprised? What did I think Commander Kocharski would look like? Lana Turner?
"Commander," Dawkins said, taking her hand; it was larger than his, he noticed. "I have the odd feeling that you would be interested to hear that I have just learned that the Commandant of The Marine Corps has just approved the promotion of Technical Sergeant Oblensky to master gunner."
Master gunners, who rank between noncommissioned and commissioned officers, are the Marine Corps equivalent of Warrant Officers in the Army. They are entitled to be saluted by enlisted men, and are afforded other commissioned officers' privileges.
"Oh, that's wonderful news!" Flo said.
"You've heard, I guess, he's on his way here?"
"Galloway told me, Colonel," Flo said.
"Apropos of nothing whatever," Dawkins said, "I have been informed that there is no bar to marriage between master gunners and officers of the Naval service."
"Is that so?" Flo said. "Isn't that fascinating?"
"Good evening, Sir," Galloway said, coming onto the patio.
"Captain," Dawkins said.
"Steve's got his master gunner, Charley," Flo said. "The Colonel just told me."
"Thank you, Skipper," Galloway said.
"Thank General Vandegrift," Dawkins said. "He wrote the Commandant."
"I repeat, Sir," Galloway said. "Thank you, Skipper."
"Well, that's the good news," Dawkins said, and reached in his pocket and handed Galloway a folded radio message. "This is the bad."
PRIORITY
HEADQUARTERS USMC
WASHINGTON DC 0905 180CT42
TO: COMMANDING OFFICER MAG-21
VIA CINCPAC
1. FOLLOWING OFFICERS VMF-229 ARE DETACHED FOR A PERIOD OF NINETY (90) DAYS AND PLACED ON
TEMPORARY DUTY WITH USMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT, US POST OFFICE BUILDING, LOS ANGELES, CAL. FOR THE PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATING IN WAR BOND TOUR NUMBER TWO.
GALLOWAY, CHARLES M CAPT USMCR
DUNN, WILLIAM C 1/LT USMCR
PICKERING, MALCOLM S 1/LT USMCR
2. SUBJECT OFFICERS WILL PROCEED IMMEDIATELY BY MILITARY OR CIVILIAN AIR TRANSPORTATION
(PRIORITY AAA-2) FROM PRESENT STATION TO LOS ANGELES, CAL., REPORTING UPON ARRIVAL THEREAT
TO OFFICER-IN-CHARGE USMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT. IF TIME SCHEDULE OF WAR BOND TOUR
NUMBER TWO PERMITS, A TEN (10) DAY ADMINISTRATIVE DELAY EN ROUTE LEAVE IS AUTHORIZED.
3. DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQ USMC AND OFFICER-IN-CHARGE USMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT
LOS ANGELES, CAL. WILL BE INFORMED BY PRIORITY RADIO OF DATE, TIME, AND MEANS OF DEPARTURE OF SUBJECT OFFICERS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE ORDERS.
BY DIRECTION:
J. J. STEWART, BRIG GEN, USMC
"Jesus!" Galloway said, disgustedly. "How do we get out of this, Skipper? Or at least how do I?"
"I spoke with General Mclnerny," Dawkins said. "He thinks he may be able to get you out of it. I told him I need you to refit the squadron. These two heroes are stuck."
"Stuck with what?" Pickering asked. Galloway handed him the radio message.
"No! Jesus H. Christ!" Pickering said when he had read the message. He handed it to Dunn.
"You're on the Pan American clipper departing at 0700, Mr. Pickering," Dawkins said.
"Can I take my ten days' leave here?" Dunn asked. Dawkins looked at him. "I'm in love," Dunn explained.
"Will you stop that?" Lieutenant Ursery said.
"Love will have to wait," Dawkins said, smiling. "Duty calls, Mr. Dunn. You will be on that PAA clipper."
"I don't know why he talks like that, Colonel," Lieutenant Ursery said. "He's crazy."
"Yes, I know," Dawkins said. "If the offer is still good, I think I would like a drink."
"Denny," Pickering said. "Would you get the Colonel a nice glass of cyanide, please?"
"We've got just about everything, Colonel, pay no attention to Mr. Pick," Denny said. "What can I fix you?"
"Bourbon?"
"Finest Kentucky sour mash coming up."
"Skipper," Galloway pursued. "There's no way I can get out of this?"
"I told you, Charley, General Mclnerney thinks he can get you out of the war bond tour, but you're going to have to go to the States tomorrow."
"I know General Mclnerney," Pick said. "Maybe if I asked him..."
"Try saying 'aye, aye, Sir,' just once, Mr. Pickering," Dawkins said.