beyond endurance, standing in ranks, listening to the dinosaurs drone
endlessly on about honor, duty, and courage. What possible justification,
he’d wondered, could there be for wasting so much time over a ceremony? Get
the new admiral on board, brief him, and get back to the routine. The
constant demands of training and repairing aircraft never ceased.
It was, he realized suddenly, the final perquisite of command. No doubt
his transfer from the Jefferson meant far more to him than it did to his staff
and the crew. His relief, Rear Admiral Edward Everett Wayne, would make his
own mark on the ship and staff. Even if he proved to be an impossibly idiotic
flag officer–which Tombstone sincerely doubted Batman would–he would only be
there for eighteen months. The staff could do that standing on their heads.
These last few moments were advertised as essential to letting the crew
know who was in command. But more than that, it was a starkly poignant moment
for the officer leaving command. It was the last moment he would gaze over
his people–his people–before he would turn responsibility for their lives
and well-being over to another. It was the time in which he severed the
umbilical cord that bound him to each man and each woman, a point in life
clearly delineated when he could finally put down the burden of their safety.
And it was a time to say his second good-bye of the day. He wasn’t sure
which was the more difficult, leaving his command or finally admitting that
his relationship with Pamela was over.
He suddenly realized that the crowd was murmuring politely. He cleared
his throat and heard the sound reverberate from the huge speakers set at
either end of the dais.
“Vice Admiral Magruder, distinguished visitors, officers and crew of
CARGRU 14, USS Jefferson, and Air Wing Nine. I thank you for your presence
here today at this change of command ceremony.”
He paused for a moment. He’d thought long and hard for the last week
about his speech, and had finally resuscitated a number of old naval
aphorisms, pasted them together with his best wishes, and committed them to
memory. Now, understanding the true purpose of the ceremony, he slid his
cheater notes into his pants pocket.
“I want to leave you with one thought. Duty, ladies and gentlemen. That
is the essential ingredient that distinguishes military service from any other
career in the world. It is an obligation to always be prepared, to learn how
to practice your skills and arts for the day that they will once again be
needed. It is especially difficult when your country seems not to appreciate
you. But there it is. When all else fails, when you’re tired, exhausted, and
far from home, I want you to remember one thing–that duty demands not what is
easy, not what is convenient. It requires doing what is right, time and
again, unnoticed and unapplauded. It is your sacred obligation. And one that
you will fulfill in the following months with my relief. It has been my
pleasure–and my honor–to serve with you.
“I will now read my orders.” Tombstone paused again, staring down at the
photocopy of the message traffic he’d received just hours before. He read the
originator and the subject line out loud, and then continued with the text.
“When relieved, report to commander, Pacific Fleet, for further assignment.”
A weaselly assignment, stashed in Hawaii on the PACFLT staff until his next
assignment was decided by the higher-ups.
Batman read his orders, a solemn note in his voice. Tombstone tried to
remember if he’d ever heard his friend sound so serious. He hadn’t, he
decided. He wondered whether he should tell Batman what he’d just realized
about the ceremony, and then decided he wouldn’t. Better that his old wingman
learn it in his own way.
Finally, it was over. He and Batman exchanged salutes and formally and
publicly reported the change of command to their immediate superior, commander
of the Third Fleet. They followed the admiral off the podium to the sound of
the “Anchors Aweigh” and headed for the reception table set up below on the
hangar bay.
“They’re all yours, Batman,” he said quietly. For a moment, just a few