And since MacArthur obviously was not about to send him gold, the scrip he was "expressly forbidden repeat expressly forbidden" to issue was the only way he had to pay the troops and to buy whatever the natives were willing to sell.
That was even more important than his rank, or Colonel Peralta's appointment as "military guerrilla chief." Peralta was on the island of Panay. There was little or no chance that he would try to exercise command over Fertig. Peralta was no fool; he knew that Fertig would simply ignore him.
&nb
sp; "Captain Buchanan," Fertig said, "I presume that no one but you has seen the contents of this message?"
"No, Sir."
"It is herewith classified Top Secret," Fertig said, and put a match to it.
"No one else is to be made privy to its contents."
"You may tell Lieutenant Ball and whomever else you wish," Fertig said, "that the message dealt with our reinforcement in the future."
"Yes, Sir," Buchanan said.
"Sir, what do I call you?"
"That would seem, Captain Buchanan," Fertig said, looking at him, "to be entirely up to you."
There was a just-perceptible hesitation before Buchanan spoke. Then he said, "Will there be a reply, General Fertig?"
"No, no reply," Fertig said.
"That will be all, Captain, thank you."
"Permission to withdraw, General?"
"Granted," Fertig said. Then, suddenly, "Yes, there will be a reply, Captain."
Fifteen minutes later, MFS went on the air:
MPS FOR KAZ
PERSONAL FOR GENERAL MACARTHUR
REFERENCE PARA FIVE YOUR VALENTINES DAY MESSAGE STOP
URGENTLY REQUEST VIA FIRST AVAILABLE TRANSPORTATION
NECESSARY DRUGS TREAT VENEREAL DISEASE CONTRACTED BY KEY
PERSONNEL STOP FERTIG
[FOUR]
14 February 1943--St. Valentine's Day
"I think the thing to do with Charity Hoche, Helene," It. Colonel Stevens had said to Helene Dancy earlier that morning, "is for you to meet her at the airport, run her past the officer's sales store, get her into uniform, and take her out to Whithey House. She is a young lady who attracts a great deal of attention, and to the extent we can, I think we ought to keep her out of sight."
Colonel Stevens had then decided that it would be best to put Charity Hoche into the uniform of a WAC first lieutenant.
"We'll think about actually getting her a commission," Stevens had said.
"In the long run, that might be the thing to do. But for the short run, anyway, I think it makes more sense than putting her into a civilian specialist's uniform.
That attracts attention."