An excerpt: A distinctive pealing blare tore the dawn silence as a warship announced its departure. Vincent Pacino could tell the difference between a man-of-war and a civilian tub. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. The ship out there would not be the only one leaving this morning. He tried not to let the thought spoil the moment. Placing his cup on a black saucer, he sighed with contentment and sat back against the chair. He patted his trim stomach and grinned. “Ah, that was good.” Linda peered at him over the rim of her mug, holding it between both hands. Her large deep brown eyes shone with amusement, and the right side of her full mouth lifted. He wanted to climb out of his chair, reach for her and squeeze her until her helpless squeals were reduced to loving surrender. Apart from wearing a dashing white uniform, he still didn’t know what she saw in him, but he wasn’t about to question his luck. “I don’t know where you put it,” she said candidly and shook her head in bemused wonder. Framed by short raven hair, her soft round face glowed with suppressed laugher. Despite her seemingly cheerful demeanor, there were lines of concern in the corners of her eyes. Vin pretended not to see them. Besides, there was nothing he could do, not right now. He could only hope she wouldn’t hurt too much while he was away. “Despite your unfailing efforts to turn me into a pear, my sweet, this body will never give in,” he declared comfortably. The small table between them was littered with remnants of their breakfast. His usual fare of two fried sausages, accompanied by eggs done over-easy, with toast to mop up the remains, didn’t seem extravagant to him. Two cups of strong black coffee generally bedded the whole stuff down. It took fuel to power his five foot eleven frame. Some of his fellow officers doing penance in Yokosuka went native and turned up their nose at traditional American cuisine, never giving up trying to seduce him with superbly cooked local fare. Despite embracing all things Nipponese, one or two still harbored a secret weakness for Big Macs, which made Vin roll his eyes. Still, he admitted he’d developed a taste for Fukagawa-meshi and gourmet sashimi. There simply was no accounting for taste. Linda’s eyebrows arched as she lowered her mug. “A pear?” Her soft contralto, mixed with an exotic touch of Southern accent, never failed to enthrall him. “It’s all that bracing sea air keeping me in shape, or maybe the extracurricular activities we indulge in after hours,” he said with a lewd smile. She giggled and tossed a piece of toast at him. “You’re crude, Lieutenant.” “Aye aye, ma’am.” Vin’s grin faded. “Will you be all right? It’s only an eleven-day deployment, but I hate leaving you alone, especially when—” She waved him off. “We’ve already packed most everything, and Leighton has the paperwork. We’re not lugging furniture or appliances. I’m a navy wife, remember? I’ve done this once or twice before.” “So you have, my sweet. I’ll check with Leighton before we shove off.” “I have it under control, Vin,” she assured him in a patient voice. “Don’t worry about it.” Commander Leighton was a friend and would make sure the Housing Services Center red tape was all squared away. Vin didn’t want to handle last minute snafus because some fool rating forgot to forward his Detaching Endorsement L20/L01 form. Knowing when to give up, he reached across the table and grasped her right hand. The skin felt smooth and cool, and he loved running his fingers and palms over it, constantly amazed how a woman’s skin seemed to have a texture unlike anything else, made to be loved. “I’ll try not to, but this isn’t a routine rotation. If it weren’t for the FTX—” “I know what a Key Resolve exercise is. We’ve been through one last March.” The annual joint Field Training Exercise, conducted by the Combined Forces Command within the Korean Theater of Operations, was a defensive rotation to test rear area security and stability. It was also a firm demonstration to deter war with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Pacifists on both sides of the House claimed it was needless provocation. Perhaps it was, but as a serving naval officer, Vin believed in the value of positive deterrence. At any rate, his opinion wasn’t sought. He was just told. He glanced at a copy of US Today lying beside him and Linda frowned. “You worried what the North Koreans might do?” “I’m always worried what those fanatics might do,” he muttered sourly and pointed at the headline. “It’s been a couple of years since Sung Kang-dae and his henchmen ousted ‘glorious successor’ Kim Jong-un after his father’s death in 2011, and he’s still consolidating his position. Besides, Jong-un was just a kid. Imagine someone like that made a four-star general and commander of their armed forces, for God’s sake!” “He was only twenty-six or twenty-nine at the time?” “Nobody knows for sure and the PROK aren’t telling. They’re a secretive bunch. But there was no way a seasoned old bird like Sung would sit back and allow someone so inexperienced to become Supreme Leader. Despite talk of political and economic reform, Sung is a military hawk and things haven’t changed much in that country. Not so you’d notice.” “You think they might interfere like they did with the sinking of Cheonan in 2010?” Vin pursed his lips and shrugged. “They could, but I hope not, and they’d be crazy to try it. From all accounts, Larry Tanner is having a good round of what everyone says are favorable talks with their government to lift sanctions and open up trade. The country’s a basket case. Why aggravate the situation with stupid posturing?” “Ideology,” Linda murmured. “Yeah. How much blood has been spilled over that one? And not just by them.” “It would ease tension if they simply shut down their nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.” “It certainly would. Sung said he’d do it, citing its construction as an outdated policy by Kim Jong-il, and an unwarranted drain on the country’s resources. All true, but they haven’t made any moves to shut them down yet.” “But if Tanner is hopeful—” “I reckon he’s one of the best Secretaries of State we’ve had, but it’s hard to figure what Sung really wants.” “He wants to hold on to power and not be beholden to anybody. And I’m talking about China and Russia,” Linda said wryly and Vin grinned. “You got that right, my sweet. Anyway, that’s all high politics and way over my pay scale. It’s not my worry. I just don’t feel happy running out on you like this.” “Vin, cube it, okay?” He squeezed her hand and grinned at her characteristic expression. Two years younger than him, at twenty-four, her maturity and poise was of someone older. Navy life had toughened her, made her more self-reliant and confident. That independence helped steer both their careers through some demanding times, with a lot of love in between. His posting to the 7th Fleet base at Yokosuka, Japan, had been a promotional leg up, but it also created a degree of strain on their personal life. A navy career was never easy on a relationship. After eighteen months on USS Curtis Wilbur, his application to attend the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, for a master’s in Systems Engineering, had come through. It meant twelve months on shore away from salt and spray, but it would be worth it. On graduation, he would also receive another half stripe. A lieutenant commander at twenty-eight wasn’t bad going and fitted his planned career curve. The fact he finished fourth in his class at Annapolis, and had so far ticked all the right boxes, didn’t hurt his fast-track path either. In today’s right-sized navy, every tick counted. There were far too many lieutenant commanders wiling away their time with shore appointments and Vin wasn’t planning on joining them. “Your Dad has us squared away with an apartment in Monterey, and my Mom is seeing to the furniture and the curtains,” Linda said easily. “We’ll be arriving in style. I hope you like chintz. You just go ahead and enjoy your manly games with the Koreans.” “Manly games? Never mind.” He chuckled and patted her hand. “I knew I could count on you. Chintz or not, we’ll have some serious time together once we’re in Monterey. It’s a promise.” “I won’t mind it at all,” she said softly, a world of expression in her voice. He sighed, understanding her completely, but there wasn’t anything he could do about her loneliness. Not right now. Navy life was tough on wives, and they would just have to work it out. “Yeah. I know this hasn’t been easy for you, has it, my sweet?” “Yokosuka and Tokyo were interesting, and teaching math and science at Kinnick High filled my days, but it’ll be good being home again. At least the school’s on the base and I was spared having to commute somewhere else.” Vin nodded. The Yokosuka Naval Base was a huge 570-acre complex, having to provide military facilities for 25,000 people and housing for 19,000 American personnel. Although the figure was lower these days as some elected to leave following the massive earthquake off Sendai in 2011. However comfortable the base was, for her, home was still Norfolk, where he managed to snag her after a whirlwind courtship during his posting there with Fleet Forces Command. Monterey might be on the other side of the continent, but from Japan, it was all the same thing…almost. “Besides, I’ll be able to take my master’s in education at California State while you’re doing yours,” she added and lifted her chin, daring him to challenge her, which he did not intend doing. She was also a dedicated professional and not just a curvy body. “Right! Enough of this jawing.” He slapped the table with both hands, stood up and patted down his service blues dress jacket. There would be time to talk after the Field Training Exercise. Glancing behind him, he frowned. “Where’s my duffel bag?” “In the car,” Linda said and hastily piled stuff into the dishwasher, then grabbed her brown leather bag from the credenza. “My girl! Let’s do it.” stefanvucak/books/strike-for-honor/
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:24:03 +0000
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