“I have a number of questions, but the orders I have are to provide you whatever you need and not ask questions of you. Colonel Wilson told me he will explain everything to me personally when he honors the regiment with his presence first thing in the morning. So, gentleman, what can I do for you between now and then?”
“Sir, we brought ten men with us,” Cronley said. “They will need quarters.”
“Not a problem. Lieutenant Moriarty, take care of that.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And, sir, we need a secure place where our radiomen can set up their equipment and erect an antenna. There’s a sort of second control tower attached to Hangar Two that I’d like to use.”
“That, of course, makes me wonder why you brought your own communications, but of course I can’t ask. Moriarty, is letting these people use that building going to pose a problem?”
“No, sir.”
“And I presume you would be pleased to ensure these gentlemen are fed and are given someplace to rest their weary heads tonight?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, that would seem to cover everything. Unless you have something?”
“No, sir,” Cronley and Dunwiddie said in chorus.
Colonel Fishburn looked at Cronley as if he expected him to say something.
After a moment, Cronley realized what Colonel Fishburn expected.
He raised his hand in salute.
“Permission to withdraw, sir?”
“Granted,” Colonel Fishburn said, returning the salute.
“Atten-hut,” Cronley ordered. “About-face. Forward, march.”
Captain Dunwiddie and Lieutenant Moriarty obeyed the orders and the three officers marched out of the regimental commander’s office.
The jeeps that had carried them from the hangar were waiting at the curb outside the headquarters building. Their drivers came to attention when they saw Cronley, Dunwiddie, and Moriarty come out of the building.
Cronley put his hand on Moriarty’s arm when they were halfway between the building and the jeeps.
“Hold it a minute, Bonehead,” he said.
“Can I infer now you know me?” Moriarty said.
“How could I ever forget you?”
“Are you going to tell me what the hell’s going on?”
“If you have a bottle of decent whisky in your BOQ, I’ll tell you what I can. And if you don’t have a bottle of decent whisky, why don’t we stop at the Class VI store on our way to your BOQ?”
Moriarty, after an awkward pause, said, “I don’t have a BOQ, Jim.”
“So where do you sleep?”
“Ginger and I are in Dependent Quarters.”
After another awkward pause, Cronley replied, “That’s right. You married Ginger, didn’t you?”
“You were there, Jimmy. All dressed up in your brand-new second lieutenant’s uniform, holding a saber over us as we came out of the chapel.”