Chapter 22

14:10 Wednesday, September 4^th, 1991
Hearst Gymnasium
University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

Lenore used the last fifteen minutes to write Ben. Don't forget to send Sandy a birthday card, Ben. Don't you ever take her for granted. Lenore thought for a moment, and then added, You probably think it's girly stuff, but you always did understand your sisters better than most boys would. Deb and Chief Kostowe are together, and she's changed so much, she's so much happier than when you were here. I'll write more next week, I've got this silly duty to 'accommodate' some French Navy pilots coming up. I don't know what to expect, but I'll fill you in later.

This was her first letter to her brother, and she planned to send one to Sandy too over the weekend. It was surprising how much she missed her geekoid brother, and she found she missed the instant friendship with Sandy greatly. Denise was a friend, too, but not one she could share the innermost secrets of her soul with, she hadn't shared as many experiences with Denise.

She quickly stuffed the letter in its envelope, and moved to stand by the professor's lectern, calling the midshipmen over as they entered. "Okay, this is an unusual situation. I've had to retake this class since my credits didn't all transfer. I'd like to start a study group on Wednesdays, work on our homework together. We're all in this together ... we can work in the Student Union or one of the study halls. Meet me again down here, after class is over, we'll go over the details."

She found a seat in the auditorium, and prepared to be bored for the next fifty minutes.

07:50 Thursday, September 5^th, 1991
Building 1010
Onazuka AFB, Sunnyvale, CA

Running this morning had been difficult, and the situps and pushups had been hard, too. Lenore was a bit short on sleep, having not made it back to the house until nearly 23:00, and then the Gunny had had her call Deb, who'd been only a little frantic to talk to Lenore before her morning chauffer duties. The Gunny got her up before 03:00, and she'd needed the caffeine in the tea she'd had fairly badly.

Lenore was in her Officer Candidate SDB uniform, the single gold star on her jacket sleeve shining brightly in her peripheral vision. She was standing just to the side of the elevator bank of the hotel, waiting for her charges to step out of the elevator. A moment later it was obvious to her which guests of the hotel were whom she was waiting for ... the uniforms on the two younger men were gaudy, and the suit the older gentleman wore was somehow European-seeming to Lenore's eye.

"Good morning, gentlemen, I'm your driver today."

A single raised Gallic eyebrow from the older of the two men in uniform, was all the reaction they displayed. Ignoring Lenore except to follow her, they held their conversation in French, even as they got in the van and drove to Sunnyvale.

A mile before their destination, Lenore asked, as she drove, to the group in general, "Gentlemen, do I need to do anything special to sign you in?"

The three looked up, and the older gentlemen in the expensive suit spoke. "Non. We have day passes at the guard station for the building we are to be at." His accent was thick, but understandable.

Lenore rolled down the window of the van, and spoke to the Air Policeman at the entrance to Onazuka Air Force Base. "Good morning, Airman. I'm escorting three foreign nationals, they'll be in," Lenore consulted her notes on what to do from her brief conversation with USAF Major William "shucks, call me 'Bill'" Toler from the night before when she'd picked up the van, "building 1010." She slid her ID card and the ONI ID under the clip of the board where she'd signed entering, and the Airman took them into the gatehouse for a moment. He handed them back to her, and then he did something unexpected: he saluted Lenore.

Surprised, Lenore numbly returned the salute, and then drove on.

15:20 Thursday, September 5^th, 1991
Hearst Gymnasium
University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

Leadership Lab today was satisfying, Lenore thought. The drill the previous weekend with the Gunny had paid off, and her squad marched and drilled well. When they'd broken formation and Shiplett had approached to speak to the Fourth Class about forming study groups, Lenore had been extraordinarily pleased that the members of her study group had identified themselves as a study group. Lenore had agreed to join another study group on Tuesdays with the Second Class students taking Navigation, even though she wasn't sure it'd be necessary, based on what Chief Kostowe had taught her on the subject. Still, pride goeth before a fall, she'd reasoned, and spoke up, volunteering to join the group.

Student CPO Shiplett had nodded at her, as if she'd managed to meet his expectations. Lenore got a strange feeling from Shiplett, almost as if he were waiting for her to fail, but didn't really expect it would happen. Lenore was puzzled why he would have the attitude he did, but she was fairly certain she'd read him correctly.

She was lost in contemplation of the week's events when Lynne DiPietro came to stand beside her. "Ready, Lenore?" she'd asked quietly enough for the familiarity to not be overheard.

A quick smile, and Lenore nodded. "Do you have a few changes of clothes handy? My Mom's got most of my heavier and dressier stuff still packed up at the vineyard, but I don't think there'll be time to go get any of it."

"Your parents own a vineyard? Cool!" Lynne managed to keep the tone down. Lenore started walking toward the Air Force's van, Lynne following.

"Uh huh, they just moved here. They're about flat broke right now, too. California's expensive."

Lynne nodded at the truism. "If you're stuck in uniform, then I'll be stuck in uniform," she declared.

Oddly pleased, Lenore favored her with a smile.

The drive to Onazuka AFB was uneventful, Lynne read in her Calculus book. After they'd arrived, and Lenore had signed in, they parked and waited in the lobby by the guard station. Forty minutes later, Lenore looked up from her Business Ethics book and saw her party coming down the hall with a man in a dark suit. Lenore tapped Lynne's ankle with her toe, and both closed their books and stood.

"Good afternoon, Midshipmen," the man in the suit said. If he were surprised to see NROTC Midshipmen, he didn't betray it. "We'll be with you in a moment."

The older French man in the European suit said something in French to the older of the two Aeronavale officers, and received a murmur in return.

The man in the dark suit had signed the French visitors out of the building, and Lenore waited until the handshakes and 'good evenings' had been said.

"Gentlemen, if you'll follow us," and Lenore led the way out.

"Mademoiselle, I hope we are not disturbing your plans for the evening, but my senior colleague is extremely fatigued." The older man in uniform – Lenore hadn't found an opportunity to research French Naval rank, but he was wearing three stripes on his epaulets – spoke to DiPietro from the front passenger seat. He'd pronounced the word 'fatigued' as 'fat-ti-gay', and it took Lenore a second to recognize the word.