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It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, one of those late fall days in Central Florida when everything is perfect for an outdoor event. It was warm but not hot, with moderate humidity, a light sea breeze from the east, and a bright blue sky with just a few small cumulus clouds. Haley was smiling as she drove the blue Miata with the top down along the causeway bridge crossing the Banana River—she could not help smiling as this was the day she had trained and hoped for across her eleven years in the Coast Guard. When she crossed this bridge on the return trip to her apartment today, she would be Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Kauai.
Haley got off at the cruise ship exit and followed route 401 around to the Coast Guard station on the West Basin. Unlike her earlier visit a little over a month ago, the gate was open and manned by two Coast Guard seamen in tropical blue uniforms to check for official identification or, for those without official ID, whether they were on the approved guest list. Haley had her CAC ready and presented it to one seaman, who saluted and directed her to the parking area. On her way to her parking spot, Haley passed Kauai, moored here instead of her usual berth on the Trident Wharf. The festivities were held here rather than on the Space Force station because it was far easier to get the guests through the more moderate security and the venue was more aesthetically pleasing than the shipyard-like grounds around the wharf. Haley almost teared up when she saw the boat in the full sun, gleaming white and “full dressed” with her signal flags hung in the prescribed rainbow pattern from a temporary cable leading from the jackstaff on her bow to the crosstree on the mast and then back down to the flagstaff on the stern.
Haley parked in her assigned spot, climbed out of the Miata, and donned her combination cap, running her eyes over her uniform for the hundredth time today. She was in dress whites, as were the other officers taking part in the ceremony. Haley hated the white uniform for its fragility—you could not bump into anything without leaving a glaring mar, and the need to avoid doing so distracted from everything you were doing. She retrieved her sword from the car boot and attached it to the belt hook protruding from her jacket. The sword was another anachronism Haley did not care for, but it was useful in that wearing one took skirts and pumps off the table.
Holding the sword loosely with her left hand to keep it from swinging around, Haley strolled to the grassy softball field, where a broad canopy covered a wooden platform on which a microphone-equipped podium and several folding chairs already stood. Hopkins was busy arranging items on a folding table to the side of the platform and came to attention and rendered a salute when she saw Haley approaching.
Haley returned the salute and said, “Chief, the boat looks wonderful. You’ve done a great job.”
“Thank you, ma’am, but it was a team effort.”
“Well, I appreciate it.” Haley glanced at the table. “Anything I can do?”
“No, ma’am, we are pretty much ready to go.”
“Right. I’ll get out of your way then. See you later.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Haley turned and walked toward the station’s admin building, where the officials and guests gathered before the ceremony. Hopkins’s cool demeanor made her uneasy—it had been that way between them throughout Haley’s familiarization patrol. She wanted to attribute it to the natural wariness of someone new who was about to take over as CO, but the other enlisted personnel did not seem to share it, at least to that degree. Even the quiet Bondurant was downright chatty when compared to Hopkins. I need to figure out what’s going on there and fix it; that and the hugging thing. She smiled again as she walked. But that’s for later. Now live for the day!
Haley reached the admin building, stepped inside, and followed the “KAUAI COC” signs to the dayroom, where people were huddled in small groups and talking. Ben and Sam stood with Drake in one corner, chatting over various details of the ceremony. Ben had the harried, intense countenance that junior officers and XOs always had going into any highly choreographed ceremony. Drake towered above the two officers, calm and fatherly-looking, politely attentive and nodding in his tropical blue uniform. Sam was smiling at the interchange, confident and relaxed as ever.
Three women stood in another corner with Chief Deffler, talking and chuckling. Haley recognized Ben’s girlfriend, Victoria, from the pictures on his stateroom wall. She was petite, with long auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail to reveal a heart-shaped face with large green eyes. Victoria was an attractive young woman, with a girl-next-door look in her sundress and sandals masking a formidable intellect.
Joana, Sam’s wife, stood in a conservative white blouse and dark blue skirt to Victoria’s left. She was a stunningly beautiful woman—the pictures in Sam’s cabin did not do her justice. She was a couple of inches taller than Victoria, slender, with lightly tanned skin, dark eyes, and wavy raven-black hair cascading over her shoulders. Sam had related in passing they met when he was in OCS, and Joana had been the sister of one of his classmates. She was a work-from-home computer graphic artist who shared Sam’s gregarious nature and sense of humor.
Haley did not know the third woman, a medium-sized forty-ish woman with short, light brown hair, but guessed she was Drake’s wife. Deffler’s presence was curious—he was not a regular member of the crew, although Haley knew he deployed with them whenever they had a UAV detachment on board. She supposed he was invited and had accepted as a matter of courtesy.
As Haley walked over to the other officers, Ben and Drake came to attention, and she and Ben shared salutes. “Good morning, ma’am,” Ben said.
“XO, Captain, Chief, good morning,” Haley replied. “Everything going OK?”
“Same as usual, ma’am,” Drake answered. “I’m keeping things running, the XO’s sweating the small stuff, and the skipper’s sitting back enjoying the day.”
Ben smiled, and Sam rolled his eyes as Haley laughed and said, “That’s one tradition we need to keep.”
“Very sensible decision,” Sam said. He glanced around the room and added, “Do you have any guests coming?”
“A few classmates and my parents,” Haley said, glancing at her watch.
“I’ll see they get seated in the front, ma’am,” Ben said.
“Thank you,” Haley replied with a neutral expression. She had mixed feelings about her father’s and stepmother’s attendance. Haley adored her father, Bradford Reardon, and, for that reason alone, tolerated her stepmother. Haley was an only child; her mother died of ovarian cancer when she was just ten years old. A few years later, Bradford met and married Margot Treadway, a beautiful and vibrant Newport socialite. She and Margot had the usual stepmother/stepdaughter friction, but Haley supposed it could have been worse. Over time, they settled into a truce for her father’s sake, more or less ignoring each other as long as Haley kept her grades up and stayed clean.
They hit a rough patch when Haley joined the Coast Guard. Margot Reardon looked down on the military as she did any laborers, and was convinced Haley had selected the Coast Guard Academy over Brown or one of the other civilian schools just to spite her. Haley thought the notion that anyone would endure the rigors of the Academy and subsequent privations of military service simply to irritate someone else ludicrous and told her as much. After Haley completed her obligated service and elected to stay in the Coast Guard, Margot was finally convinced that this was neither a spiteful jab nor a passing whim, and the two resumed their peaceful coexistence. Haley had to admit that Margot loved her father dearly and made him happy; for that, she could forgive a lot.
Sam broke into her thoughts. “Let me introduce you to everybody.” After they had walked over, he continued. “Chief Deffler, you already know.”
“Ma’am,” Deffler said.
“Lieutenant Haley Reardon, this is Trudy Drake, the long-suffering spouse of our beloved chief of the boat,” Sam said.
“Don’t get me started,” Trudy joked as she shook hands with Haley.
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Haley said.
“And this lovely lady is Ben’s friend Victoria Carpenter,” Sam said.
“How do you do?” Haley said, extending her hand.
Victoria took her hand and said, “I am doing quite well, thank you, Miss Reardon. I am pleased to meet you.”
Haley wasn’t sure what surprised her more, the formal language or the deep husky voice coming from such a small young woman. “Um, likewise,” she said awkwardly.
“And, of course, my wife, Joana. This is Haley Reardon,” Sam said.
“Haley, I don’t know how to thank you for prying Sam loose for us,” Joana said with a warm smile as she shook hands.
“Happy to take the hit for the team, Joana,” Haley replied, drawing a puzzled look from Victoria and chuckles from everyone else.
The small talk continued until Lopez appeared in the doorway and hurried over to them. “Sirs, ma’am, Captain Mercier is coming through the gate now.” Mercier would officiate the ceremony today, and the three officers were expected to greet her on her arrival.
“Thanks, Lope,” Sam said, then turned to the others. “Folks, please excuse Haley, Ben, and me. We’ve got some eagle-stroking to do.”
“Carry on, my brave captain,” Joana said with a grin.
As the three officers followed Lopez out toward the parking lot, Haley felt her first pang of dread at the thought of encountering Mercier. They had had no occasion to speak since their last meeting, which ended with Mercier upbraiding her for being a smartass. If she held a grudge, I wouldn’t be here now. Right? Haley thought, hopefully. A car pulled up, and Mercier and a lieutenant stepped out.
Mercier and the young officer returned Sam, Ben, and Haley’s salutes as they walked up, and Mercier held out her hand to Sam. “Congratulations, Sam. How are you feeling this fine day?” she asked as she shook Sam’s hand.
“Too many emotions to list, Captain,” Sam replied.
“Yes, I know. It’s always that way.” She turned to shake Haley’s hand. “Haley, last call to duck and run.”
“Not a chance in Hell, ma’am,” Haley replied with a smile. OK, we’re through that.
Mercier turned and shook Ben’s hand. “What do you say, Ben? Think you can get through the ceremony without getting banged up?”
Ben smiled and replied, “As long as your companion is not a closet DIA guy, I should be safe, ma’am.”
Mercier chuckled and turned to the lieutenant. “Doug, you’re not moonlighting with the DIA, are you?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Captain.”
“That’s a relief. Everyone, this is Doug Liggett. He had the misfortune of not having enough work on his plate back home, so he gets to carry the box and listen to me trash talk ship drivers for three hours each way.” After introductions and handshakes, she continued. “Doug, I’m sure Ben would like to get back at it, and he can show you where to put the stuff.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Liggett replied as he opened the car’s boot. He handed Mercier her sword, hung his own on his belt, and grabbed a small cardboard box before closing the lid.
“Sam, Haley, how about you take me on a quick walkabout on the boat so I can impart some senior officer-type wisdom on you,” Mercier said as she hung her sword on her belt.
“After you, ma’am,” Sam said as they turned and began walking toward Kauai.
After crossing the parking lot out of earshot, Mercier said, “So, Sam, psyched for the move to Newport?”
“Not for the move, ma’am,” Sam replied. “They seem to get harder every time, and I am trying to get my head in the frame for classes and paper writing after a fifteen-year hiatus. Jo is walking on air, though—her folks live only an hour away in Gales Ferry.”
“Yes, well, you’ve both earned a breather after the last few years. Isn’t Newport near your family as well?”
“Um, yes, ma’am. Enough said.”
“Oh, sorry.”
They reached the quarterdeck, exchanged salutes with the seaman on duty, went on board, and then up to the Bridge.
Mercier sat in the captain’s chair, then gestured to the seats at the FC3 console. After the two junior officers sat, she said. “It looks like something’s brewing regarding the laptop Ben looted from that smuggling ship. We got a warning order from the National Command Authority to put Kauai in readiness for an operation sometime in the next two weeks.”
“What sort of operation, ma’am?” Sam asked.
“Unknown. The good news for you, Haley, is that you will not be headed to the Windward for migrant interdiction for a while. We need to keep you close.”
“Does that mean we don’t sail tomorrow, ma’am?” Haley asked.
“No, we’ll put you to good use on the Bimini run. As you might imagine, things have picked up there since we’ve thrown nearly everything we have at mass migration out of Haiti. This op might come to nothing; if I had a dollar for every WARNO that got canceled, I could retire in splendor right now. But we need to go through the motions—cancel leaves and defer maintenance availabilities, yadda, yadda.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Haley said.
“I’ll bet you’re relieved you don’t have to deal with another DIA-sponsored op, Sam.”
“Again, ma’am, mixed emotions,” Sam replied with a rueful smile.
Mercier glanced at her watch and said, “I guess we should get back before Ben and Doug melt down.” She stood and said, “You two go ahead. Just be ready to catch me if I trip over this damn sword going down the ladder.”
***********************
The trio broke up to mingle among the guests as they approached the venue. Haley saw her father standing in a dark three-piece suit chatting with one of the other guests and hastened to him. Bradford Reardon was a tall man, six-foot-one, lean with a full head of sandy, close-cropped hair, graying on his temples. He grinned as soon as he saw her, and they hugged warmly, and Haley kissed him on his cheek.
“You look wonderful, sweetie,” Reardon said as he held her at arm’s length and looked her over. “I am so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Haley said, trying not to tear up. “It means everything to have you here.” She looked around and asked, “Where’s Margot?”
“She’s inside arranging dinner.”
“Yes, I’m sure it’s quite a challenge to find one exclusive enough this side of the Hudson.” The quip came out involuntarily, as if Haley had heard it spoken by another person. Her regret was instant, and the change in her father’s expression from beaming to sad was the worst rebuke imaginable.
“That’s a little uncalled for. You know she didn’t have to come, but she wanted to, for you.”
Actually, I think it was for you, not me, but that earns her just as much credit. “I know. I’m sorry, Dad. No more bitchiness today, I promise. Can I get a reset?”
“Sure.” His proud smile returned, and he looked and nodded toward Kauai. “Your first command. She’s a beauty! Can you show us around?”
“Let’s do it after the ceremony, when we have more time. Besides, I want to be able to describe her as my ship!”
“Fair enough.” They both turned as Margot Reardon arrived. She was Haley’s height and still strikingly attractive, with graying brown hair and hazel eyes. Her stride and dark purple blouse and skirt radiated power. “Everything set, my dear?” Reardon asked.
“It took time, but I found a suitable place in Orlando,” Margot answered, then turned and gave Haley an approving nod. “You look magnificent, dear!” After glancing at her uniform, she added, “A little late for white, isn’t it?”
Haley grinned in return. “Perhaps, but it’s Florida, Margot, not Rhode Island. The seasons are different here.”
“Yes, I suppose they are.” She looked around. “This is very...quaint. Will we have any role in the ceremony?”
“No, you get to sit back and enjoy it. Even my role is limited—the ceremony is mostly a celebration of the previous command.”
“Oh, I see,” Margot said with slight disappointment.
Haley glanced over at the stage and caught Ben’s attention, motioning him over. As he stepped up, Haley said, “Dad, Margot, I’d like you to meet Lieutenant Junior Grade Ben Wyporek, Executive Officer, who will be my second in command. Ben, these are my parents, Bradford and Margot Reardon.”
“Ma’am, Sir, I’m very pleased to meet you,” Ben said as he shook their hands. He then said to Haley, “We’re set to begin in two minutes, ma’am.”
“Thanks, Ben. Carry on, please.”
“Ma’am,” Ben said, then spun on his heel and trudged off to the next crisis.
Haley turned back to see her father’s smile had been replaced by a look of concern. “That young man, Haley. He was wearing the Silver Star and Purple Heart. Did he earn those on Kauai?”
Haley was stunned that Reardon recognized the medals, more so that he appeared to know what they implied. “Um, yes, he did.” She gave him a look that said, “We can talk about that later.”
As Reardon nodded, Margot piped up, “Don’t worry, Bradford, I’m sure Haley will have just as many medals before long!”
The accidental humor of the well-intentioned comment struck both Haley and her father, and both smiled. “Thank you, Margot,” Haley said. “I appreciate your confidence.”
“Not at all, dear.” Margot looked approvingly at them.
“Let me get you seated,” Haley said, then led them to two folding chairs in the front row before the stage. “Please have a seat, and I’ll see you again after the ceremony.” Her father squeezed her upper arm, and then he and Margot sat. Haley turned, stepped up on the stage, and stood next to the chair on which she was to sit. Kauai’s crew was already standing in ranks next to the stage, and Sam gave Joana a last kiss, then stood beside Haley.
The ceremony began with the formal arrival of Mercier, then the presentation of colors—the honor guard parading the National and Coast Guard flags before the assembly and then off to one side. Ben narrated the purpose of the change of command ceremony and a brief history of Sam’s tenure. Mercier presented the Coast Guard Unit Commendation jointly to Sam and Seaman Apprentice Nichols, the most junior crew member.
Next, Drake stepped forward and presented Sam with Kauai’s commissioning pennant. When Sam made to return to the stage, Drake said, “But wait, there’s more.” Joana was invited onto the stage, and Drake and Hopkins presented her with a small round mahogany navigator’s box with an inlaid compass. Joana was reduced to tears and hugged the box to her chest after reading the inscription aloud: “To Our First Lady, Love Now and Always, Your Crew of Kauai.” After Joana returned to her seat, Drake and Bondurant presented Sam with a beautifully framed collage of photos of each crew member during a funny moment. Sam was blinking back tears himself as he returned to his seat carrying the picture.
Sam’s personal award came next—the Meritorious Service Medal pinned on by Mercier, with Ben reading the citation. His ceremonial “frocking” to lieutenant commander followed—he would not actually be promoted and paid until the summer, but could wear the insignia and be addressed by the higher rank. Per Sam’s request, Ben and Joana stepped onto the stage, and each replaced one of his two-stripe lieutenant shoulder boards with a new one having the two-and-a-half stripes of his new rank.
It was time for Sam’s farewell speech. He had carried some papers Haley guessed held his prepared speech, but instead folded them up and placed them in his pocket. He then held the picture Drake and Bondurant presented and talked briefly about each crew member and the story behind their photos. It was a profoundly moving and personal tribute to his crew, and Haley was close to tears for the second time that day.
The big moment had come, the formal handover of command. Haley, Sam, and Mercier stood. Haley faced Sam, saluted, and said loudly, “Lieutenant Commander Powell, I offer my relief.”
Sam saluted and replied loudly, “Lieutenant Reardon, I stand relieved.” He grinned, shook Haley’s hand warmly, and said quietly, “Congratulations, Captain!”
“Thank you, sir,” Haley replied with scarcely concealed excitement. As Sam returned to his seat, Haley stepped over to the microphone. It was her chance to make a speech, but it was good form for the incoming CO to keep it short, and Haley intended to do just that.
“I want to thank you all for coming today, particularly my parents, who have made this wonderful day perfect for me by their attendance. I also want to thank Captain Mercier for her officiation today and the trust she and Admiral Pennington have shown in selecting me for this command. Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank Commander Powell for his outstanding leadership and attention to duty that have made Kauai and her crew the finest unit in the Coast Guard. No one could improve upon his eloquent expression of the crew’s quality, and I can only endorse it with admiration. This is the proudest day of my life, and I will do my utmost to live up to the outstanding legacy of Commander Powell and Kauai.” Haley turned to face Ben. “Executive Officer, all standing orders remain in effect until further notice. Dismiss the company at the conclusion of the ceremony.”
Ben saluted and loudly replied, “Aye, aye, ma’am!”
The ceremony concluded after the formal retiring of the colors. After shaking hands with Sam and Mercier, Haley stepped off the stage to meet with her father and Margot. Reardon’s beaming expression had returned, and he said, “Congratulations, Captain! What a day!”
Even Margot was red-eyed with the emotion of the event. “I have to admit the ceremony and the stories the commander told were quite inspirational. I think I begin to see what you find so compelling about all this, dear.”
Margot’s comment genuinely moved Haley. “Thank you, Margot.” She said, “I know you would like to see the ship, but we need to attend the reception inside for a bit of schmoozing first.”
Margot grinned. “Schmoozing is my strong suit, dear. Lead the way.”
***********************
After an hour into the reception held in the station’s dayroom, Mercier bade everyone farewell, and she and Liggett departed. It was the signal to wind down the reception, and as the crew and other guests filtered out, Haley bade farewell to Sam and Joana, then went to gather her parents. She was surprised to find Margot in a deep conversation with Victoria, with Reardon and Ben looking on. “Ben, Victoria, I hope you will excuse me, but I promised my parents a tour of the boat.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ben said. “Will you be needing me to accompany you, or would you prefer I waited here?”
Haley blinked. Duh! They’re all standing around waiting for me to grant liberty. Pull your head out of your ass, Haley! “Neither, XO. Please grant normal liberty. And by that, I mean you too. Beat feet, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Very good, ma’am, and thank you,” Ben said. He turned to Victoria. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, Benjamin. Mr. and Mrs. Reardon, it has been a distinct pleasure talking with you. I hope to do so again soon.”
“Same here, Victoria. Good luck with your coding project,” Margot said with a warm smile. After they had walked out of earshot, she turned to Haley and said, “What an extraordinarily charming young woman! I can see why your second is so taken with her.”
Haley continued to be surprised by Margot’s geniality toward everything going on. Maybe we have turned a corner here. “Yes, I haven’t talked to her myself, but she seems to have many fans. Shall we go now?”
“That would be fine. Will I be alright in these clothes?”
Haley hadn’t even thought about that. “I wouldn’t recommend going down into the engine room in those spike heels, but we should be OK everywhere else.”
The tour was an eye-opener for Margot and her father, particularly her cabin, which, while the largest berthing space on the boat, was less than half the size of Margot’s closet back in Newport. “Oh, Haley, you are expected to live here?” Margot asked in wonderment.
“Only when we are underway, Margot. Remember, Kauai is a patrol boat, not a large ship—space is at a premium here.”
“Heavens!” Margot exclaimed, shaking her head.
As they completed the tour, Margot said to Reardon, “Will you excuse me while I make a few calls, dear? There are some things back home I need to see to.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll follow you soon.”
Margot turned to Haley. “We’ll see you for dinner, dear? I have a wonderful spot picked out.”
“I am looking forward to it, Margot,” Haley said.
After Margot had walked off, Haley turned to her father. “OK, Dad. What did you put in her coffee this morning?”
“I told you things have changed. She really was impressed by everything today.”
“Well, it makes me feel even worse about my snotty comment earlier, but I’ll take it.”
“Glad to hear it.” His smile faded. “Now, I think you owe me some honesty about what you will be doing here.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I would have shared more with you had I known you knew anything about this. Frankly, it comes as a surprise.”
“What, you think I’m some sort of lefty brahmin? Maybe I was, but that changed when my little girl went into the service. Did you think I wouldn’t learn all I could about your life? If you become a parent, you’ll learn that you can’t just send your kid off to college and not worry about them anymore. Now come clean—your XO and your predecessor have combat medals. Even I know that differs from the run-of-the-mill Coast Guard stuff you have been doing.”
“Dad, the details are classified, but there is more to Kauai than meets the eye. I’m sorry, I can’t elaborate, but what we do is vital.”
He sighed. “And I thought I couldn’t be prouder of you—wrong again. I hate employing such a cliché, but you will be careful, for me?” Although he did his best to conceal it with a forced smile, Haley could feel the concern in his voice.
“Dad, I will do my very best to take care of my crew and my ship.” Haley smiled. “That covers me by default. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Sorry, can’t comply. It’s in the job description. But I guess I’ll learn to live with it.” He hugged her again.
“Alright, alright. Let’s get back to the cars before I get weepy,” Haley said. “I need to get back to the apartment and change before heading out on the town with you two.”
