freedom fighters, who are the Cuban equivalent of our constitutional
founding fathers.” She gestured off camera toward a group of people
her viewers could not see.
“I wish that I could show you their faces as I see them.
Proud, determined, reflecting the knowledge that they know they risk
their lives every day for the freedom of their country. How many of us
can say the same?
“Instead of supporting these people, our government this morning
embarked on a determined campaign to destroy them. This is
unconscionable, and we should not stand for it.
Cuba is a great and historic nation, and her people are deserving of
our support and our friendship.” She continued to stare at the camera
as she recited her normal sign-off, then relaxed only after she saw the
telltale red light over the video camera blink out. “How was it?”
Santana stepped away from his watchful position near her cameraman.
“Beautiful.”
1220 Local (+5 GMT) USS Jefferson Batman slammed his hand down on the
conference table, making most of his staff members jump. “Damn it, one
of these days, I’m going to break her ever-loving neck!” He glared at
the assembled officers, although they had nothing to do with his
current mood.
The staff, hastily summoned from their other duties to watch the
breaking news story, were equally horrified. That Pamela Drake had
once been Admiral Magruder’s fiancee was no secret. Everyone in the
tight-knit aviation community, as well as most officers outside of it,
knew, and had followed the affair with interest. Their breakup over
the Spratly Islands affair and Tombstone’s subsequent marriage to
Tomboy had secretly delighted more than one. Tombstone needed to be
kept inside the family, and that included his love life.
Batman sighed and leaned back in his high-backed chair.
He let the tension drain out of him as he stared at the still, watching
faces around him. “Okay. She’s done it. So now what happens? You’d
better believe we’re going to be besieged by requests for visits and
briefings.” He pointed one finger at the public affairs officer. “Get
it sorted out.
Now.”
“Admiral, I,” Bird Dog began.
Batman wheeled on him. “You keep your mouth shut, mister. You’ve done
more than enough so far this cruise.”
He let the rage flood back, and focused on the lieutenant commander in
front of him. “What in all hell’s bells gave you the idea of executing
an aggressive decoy tactic? I’d bet my stars that Gator was trying to
talk you out of it the entire time. Is that right?”
Bird Dog nodded, relieved that at least his RIO wouldn’t suffer his own
public execution. After all, Gator had tried to stop him. He just
hadn’t listened. As he hadn’t so many times before. “Gator had
nothing to do with it. Admiral.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t just punch out and make you explain why you
showed back up at the carrier without a canopy and a RIO,” Batman
muttered. “Hell, I know I would have. Damned harebrained idea like
that.” He intensified his scowl.
Bird Dog wilted visibly in his seat. Batman let it go on two beats
longer, then said, “You’re grounded. You couldn’t expect anything
else, not after this incident. There’ll be a full JAG investigation,
at the very least.”
Or a court-martial. Batman let the words remain unspoken.
“Yes, sir.” Bird Dog started to say something else, then decided that
anything he could or would say at this point would only dig his grave
deeper.
“Now, for the rest of it. I’m tempted to say let’s get our story
straight, but we don’t have any story. We simply tell the truth,
that’s all. At this point, I’m inclined to simply treat Bird Dog’s
little escapade here as part of an overall plan of operational
deception. You all know the reason why. That, of course, remains top
secret.” He turned back to the PAO again. “Figuring out how to put
this all in one neat package is your job. Tell the truth as much of it
as we dare but steer away from anything that could compromise the
safety of that pilot. You got it?”
The PAO nodded. “Aye, aye. Admiral. I’ll have the executive briefing