Chapter 26

11:05 Thursday, September 12^th, 1991

235 Montgomery St, Suite 239

San Francisco, CA 94104

"First, we'll announce that he's been given a special assignment," the forty-ish woman with the severe navy blue dress suit said. Sharp-featured, with the trademark pageboy haircut that Deb Reineau carried off far more ably, this lady was gaunt to the point of emaciation. Privately, the Gunny wondered if she preferred women, her wedding band and the pictures on her desk of smiling children notwithstanding. He dismissed that as an uncharitable thought, and tried to assess her as a potential ally. Margaret Dobson was a formidable woman, and had taken more than a little convincing so far.

The Gunny persevered, however, explaining his reasoning, twice. She had no great love for the military, this was apparent, and so the Gunny fell back on unfamiliar ground – speaking in terms of the classics – Voltaire – and speaking of motivation, stagnation, the Peter Principle, and some other touchy-feely stuff that had little to do with firing someone for incompetence.

Voltaire came up, as the Gunny had tried to explain about Admiral Byng. This happened because Mrs. Dobson had taken the stance that it was unfair to hold someone up to a set of rules he had had no part in making. 'Ex post facto', she'd said, and the Gunny agreed that it may not be fair, but produced results.

He told her about Admiral Byng, who at the start of the Seven Year's War in 1756 had failed to defend the fort on Minorca, and how the British Admiralty had expressed their anger by modifying the Articles of War to list a new offense: "Capital Failure to Do One's Utmost" to engage and destroy the enemy in attack or pursuit.

The Gunny pointed out how this execution had indeed motivated the other Admirals in the British Navy, who'd gone on to dominate the seas for more than a hundred and fifty years after the execution.

Margaret had been outwardly unaffected until the Gunny related how Voltaire figured into the conversation – his play Candide was about a young innocent lad who believed what he was told – and he had been told that "All is for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds," even though he lived through a series of events that would sharply contradict it.

She nodded when he told her that Voltaire had been active in the defense of Byng, and protested against Byng having been made a scapegoat by having his character Candide be told, "In this country, it is good from time to time to shoot an Admiral for the encouragement of the others."

Margaret met the Gunny's eyes when he'd finished, and then nodded. "Gunny," she said, "I had my doubts about you. John Mattes had told me you were the right man for any situation, and I guess I'd disbelieved that a little. My doubts have been removed."

Now, after her maybe-apology, he restated his case. Margaret seemed more receptive, having warmed to him sometime during his recap of classic literature, smiling and agreeing where before she'd been closed and remote. And she finally agreed with the Gunny's evidence, and his argument that something relatively drastic should be done.

"After we make the announcement that he's on a special assignment," she said, "in about four months we'll announce he's gone on to new challenges. Meanwhile, we'll promote his assistant, and then announce a competition for a new reporting and management process. We'll offer a tie-in to their bonuses to increasing return and reporting efficiency. Between the carrot and the stick, we should see improvement."

14:35 Thursday, September 12^th, 1991

Building 1014 (70 Todd St)

Alameda NAS, Alameda, CA

"Lieutenant Janssen, please. PO Collins calling."

There was a short series of clicks, and then, "Janssen here."

Lenore took a deep breath. She'd been rehearsing this in the car on the way over, and her heart was beating a little quicker than her normal resting rate of sixty-three beats a minute. "Sir, I have a new cellular telephone. If I provide you with the number, will it be acceptable if I don't come to this office every day?"