THE BEST LAID PLANS excerpt: **** USF Excalibur Between Perseus and Orion Standard Earth Date December 6 3811 “Well, why not?” Sure, it was marginally against regulations, but what were they going to do, fire him? They’ve already ‘postponed’ his retirement, even if that wasn’t for publication just yet. Angus MacAlister had it all laid out on his bunk, the complete full dress military kilt that cost him way too much money. At least, his wife would think so, if she knew. The Scottish made wool MacAlister Clan tartan kilt and fly plaid, MacAlister Clan Crest broach pin, shirt, horsehair sporran, dirk, sigian dubh, hose, belt, Clan Crest buckle, Clan Crest cufflinks, and of course, the Brogues. Fortiter! The Clan motto. He would wear his Fleet Dress jacket and a tartan tie. But, after all, was this one indulgence too much? He chuckled as he thought about what to wear, or not, under the kilt. No one knew he had it aboard. He had never mentioned to anyone, had brought it aboard in his luggage, and unpacked it himself from the locked and sealed carton just this morning. But, it could be considered a violation. What if I wore it for the test? That may be even better, mock combat in a dress kilt! No, better to save it for the party. There, the reporters were sure to make a galactic event out of it. Well, perhaps that would keep the politicians from bugging him to run for some damned political office. He just wanted time for Cindy and himself, and it looked like they may never get that. Angus sighed, seeing her face before him as he did in that nightclub long ago, and the day of their wedding. All he could remember of that day was the angel, HIS angel, floating down the aisle……. He was still debating himself when his door chime rang. “Come” he said as he walked from the bedroom to his office, closing the door to hide the bright MacAlister tartan wool laid on his bed. “Admiral, one hour to entry point, sir.” “Thanks, Jen. Do I really have to give a speech?” he asked his aide, Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Kowalski. The 5’5” tall, pretty blonde had been his Chief of Staff for almost eight years now. How she always seemed to hide her spectacular figure under regulation uniforms always escaped him. Part secretary, part big sister, part den mother, all about ruthless efficiency, organization, endless energy, with just the right amount of mischief behind her fiery eyes, Angus decided that this freckle-faced little fireplug was the smartest person, besides his son Alex, that he had ever met; being Jerry Kowalski’s little girl didn’t help or hurt her any, she earned everything assignment, honor, and rank herself. As a fresh new cadet, she had piloted his corvette through a pirate ambush almost a decade ago. A year later she was his aide. The only aide he had ever had. “Now, Admiral, you know they all want to hear a few words. It’s an emotional time for them, you know”, she explained as she straightened his necktie. Turning, she headed for the bedroom. “You aren’t wearing this, are you? Dress whites would be best. Let me get them out for you”, Jen grinned as she started her trademark fast walk towards his bedroom. “Um, that’s OK, I’ll get it. It’s a mess in there.” She stopped, put her hands on her hips, and shook her head, then cocked her head to the right as she looked up at the barrel-shaped 6’6” Admiral. “Other than declaring politics as out of the question, you’ve been pretty quiet about your plans. What are you going to do?” she asked in a quieter tone. “I’m planning on spending the rest of my days giving Cindy the attention she deserves. I hope I can make up for the all time I’ve been gone. With Alex assigned to R & D, I should be able to see him more often too. Maybe I can talk him into getting serious about starting a family-yeah, right. Ha!” he grinned. “How about you? Are you going to tell me, or keep me guessing forever?” “You know your wife is very happy with the life you’ve given her. And Alex is a very amazing young man. You know, I’ve heard rumors that say you’re retiring because you’re afraid to compete with him!” “Yeah! Right. I’d lose. No doubt. By a landslide! But you may never tell him that! Direct order!” boomed his patented ‘no doubt’ baritone. With a gentler, quieter voice reserved for friends, Angus continued, “so, you’re not going to tell me then?” Angus MacAlister flashed his ‘puppy dog’ look; it seemed to work on his wife, though he had no idea why. “That look won’t work on me, Admiral! Your wife told me all about it years ago when you hired me; and that it only works on her!” and then, only because she lets it, Jen thought. Jen’s face broke into a huge smile, and her reddening face revealed the freckles few ever saw. “OK” She stuck out her left hand, showing off the large, but not obnoxious diamond ring. “My term is up in two weeks. I have, well, I have plans…” her smile shining infinitely brighter than her ring. “Jen, I’m happy as all get out and angry as hell.” The Admiral’s eyebrows pressed down deeply. “Who is this guy? I need to check him out. He had better be on the up-and-up. I’ll have InTel check him out….” He said in his best, most serious ‘Big Brother’ voice. “You already have.” That smile sure was bright, the Admiral thought. “What are you talking about?” his eyebrows nearly hitting the ceiling. “You do know him pretty well,” She grinned. “Dad.” The puzzled look hung on the Admiral’s face for exactly three seconds. Then his left eyebrow shot up. “Alex?” “Yup.” “What did you say, Lt. Commander?” smiled the Admiral. “Yup, Dad?” “That’s ‘yup Dad, SIR’, Lt. Commander”, he grinned as his act faded fast. Then that serious look returned as he gently covered each of her shoulders with his huge hands. “He could be deployed at any time, Jen. You will be separated for long periods. It’s going to get pretty tough.” “What do you think your wife and I talk about all the time? Your favorite cookie recipe?” His expression just got way too serious, Jen thought. What was he not telling me? “You have never made me cookies!” His serious tone matching the look on his face. Then his smile opened up his face, “Jen, I am so happy for you both”. His serious look returned as he said, “Hmmm, I’ll have to have a talk with Alex before the party at Fleet.” “Admiral, Dad, Sir, don’t be mad at Alex, it was my idea not to tell you, Alex wanted to, but I thought…” “I’ll have to tell him it worked perfectly”, he said, rubbing his chin and suddenly wearing a ‘cat that just ate the canary’ look. “What?” Jen’s puzzled look demanded. “He told me the night before that he was going to propose. We had a long talk. We decided you had to think I didn’t know in order for you to keep your sanity. He’s in deep for you. Be good to him, Jen. You will be my favorite daughter-in-law!” Angus said as he bent forward and softly kissed her forehead. “You!” Her frown turned into a smile as her fists, ready to hit his shoulders, turned into a quick hug. Angus felt her flinch slightly as he squeezed her shoulders. “You OK?” “Just a little sore from fencing practice yesterday”, Jen said as she rubbed her right shoulder. Angus noted a few specks of dark red on her uniform there, but accepted her explanation. “Just promise me, little one, that you’ll make the most of each minute, each second together!” The Admiral whispered into her ear as he leaned in a little closer. Jen stepped back, wondering if this had anything to do with those “retirement planning” trips he had taken without her over the last two years. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she stepped back and straightened up. “You have 40 minutes now, Admiral, until you have to be on the bridge, Sir”, she said in her best professional, no-nonsense voice. “Any way you can lock those reporters up?” “That would be against regs, Admiral!” “Have you taken those precautions we discussed?” “Aye. Sir” Jen stated coldly. Angus knew that look, saw her tongue flash into the right corner of her mouth, and, knowing that whomever it was aimed at was in for a world of hurt, nodded once as his reply. Lieutenant Commander Jenitka Kowalski turned and walked out of the office, her sly grin hidden from the her boss, mentor, friend, and soon to be father-in-law. It was a long time after that before the Admirals grin faded, that sort-of sad feeling temporarily forgotten. “Incoming message. Personal stamp” chimed his desk. “Connect”. “Hey, Angus! Ready for the Big Day? Less than a week left!?” “Vance! Good to see you! No, I’ll never be ready. But I guess I’ll survive it. How’re things in the Senate? Is Cindy giving you a hard time?” I can’t even tell him, a Senator, and my best friend. “They’d be better if you’d listen to me and join us. The next election’s eight months away, and Barton is retiring. You’d be a cinch, Angus.” “Vance, I’ve told you before, I hate that bureaucratic crap. I can’t understand how you or Cindy can tolerate it. Ha-ha, I just can’t. Besides, well, you know……”. “OK, OK. So, what do you have planned after the party? If you need a ‘quick exit’, I can arrange one.” “Before. I’m doing it before. I just have to ditch the reporters for a day.”
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 02:12:10 +0000
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