The captain said, “Benitez, you have the conn. The exec and I will be going to lunch. Is there anything we can bring back for you?”
“No sir, Cookie made me a container of coffee before he shut down the galley. I’m good.”
“We’ll be back in about an hour.”
The captain headed down the gangplank and Kelly followed. Kelly came to a screeching halt when he saw the entire crew in formation and waiting. The captain looked back at him and said, “Fall in on my right side, mister.”
Kelly moved to the right side of the captain, even though the junior person generally walked on the left, and marched down the gangplank to the front of the formation where Chief Watson was standing at attention.
Chief Watson saluted the captain and said, “Crew all present or accounted for, sir.”
“Thank you, Chief. Post.”
Chief Watson did a sharp about face and marched to the rear of the formation.
The captain said quietly, so only Kelly could hear, “About Face.”
Kelly turned and saw a crowd of people seated in the shade under the ship. He saw his parents, Mrs. Craddock, Candy, Tammy, and several officers from Scout Force HQ. He also saw Admiral Craddock standing there next to Petty Officer Benitez. He couldn’t imagine how she beat them out of the ship. Admiral Craddock and Benitez marched over to their position and came to a halt in front of LCDR Timmons.
LCDR Timmons saluted and said, “GRS Vigilant present, sir. Officer to be promoted present.”
“Thank you, Captain. Petty Officer Benitez, post the order, please.”
Petty Officer Benitez began speaking. She must have been wearing a wireless microphone, because her voice boomed over the parking apron. “The President has reposed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity, and abilities of Kelly Pierce Blake. In view of these qualities and his demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, he is therefore promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade with date of rank of 2321.07.01, signed George Montgomery, Captain, Fleet Secretary.”
Kelly waited for the rank to be pinned on, replacing his single gold bars with a single silver bar on each collar, but nothing happened.
Admiral Craddock turned to PO1 Benitez and said, “Post the second order.”
PO1 Benitez’s voice boomed out over the parking apron again. “In accordance with Fleet Regulation 1001.2.3, Kelly Pierce Blake is authorized to assume the title and wear the uniform of a Fleet Lieutenant. He is entitled to all the privileges of that grade except those restricted by law. Signed Thomas C. Craddock, Rear Admiral, Scout Force, Commanding.”
Kelly was dumbstruck. He was being promoted from the rank of Ensign to Lieutenant, Junior Grade and then frocked to full Lieutenant. He would still only be paid as a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, but other than that he would be a Lieutenant.
Frocking was an ancient practice, used where an officer was serving in a position above his rank. Promotions were limited by law, but positions were limited only by numbers of ships. The Vigilant's executive officer position was authorized for a lieutenant, but there weren’t always enough qualified lieutenants to go around.
The admiral and LCDR Timmons reached up and removed Kelly’s gold bars from his collar, replacing them with the twin silver bars of a Lieutenant. LCDR Timmons finished first and shook his hand, “Congratulations LT Blake.”
The admiral finished and also shook his hand. “I told you I could promise you promotion in three months. Congratulations, LT Blake. You’ve done a great job as exec of the Vigilant and I expect great things from you in the future.”
“Thank you, sir. This is an unexpected honor.”
Admiral Craddock said, “Ladies and gentlemen, crew mates, I give you Lieutenant Kelly Blake.” The audience and crew broke out in applause.
LCDR Timmons dismissed the crew. Kelly spent the next few minutes shaking hands with dignitaries and the crew, being slapped on the back by fellow junior officers, congratulated, and saluted by Ensign Nielsen. Tammy congratulated him and asked Kelly if he would pin on her rank when she was promoted to LTJG next month. Of course, he agreed. Tammy excused herself, as she had a flight to the southern Hemisphere in a few hours.
Andrew and Moira Blake came up, congratulated him, and simply beamed with pride. Kelly hugged them both. His mom had tears in her eyes. She mentioned rather uncharitably that she wished General Bugarov could have been here to see this ceremony.
Candy and Mrs. Craddock came up and congratulated him. Candy gave him a peck on the cheek. Mrs. Craddock asked him and his parents over for dinner that evening, told them to dress casually, and wouldn’t take no for an answer.
As the crowd dwindled away, LCDR Timmons came over and told him he was released for the day. Kelly changed into casual clothes suitable for dinner that evening, and went with his parents to see their quarters. The Doctors Blake were quartered on Admirals' Row. They had a house slightly larger than Admiral Craddock’s house. His parents were highly respected in Fleet.
The house was two-story and had respectable plantings, but nothing to compare with Mrs. Craddock’s. The house did have a nice outdoor room and a view of the mountains. The Blakes, being engineers and not housekeepers, brought one to keep the place up for them. His name was Arnold and he had been with Kelly’s parents since before Kelly had gone off to college. Kelly liked Arnold and especially his meals, Arnold being a gourmet cook. Kelly wasn’t sure, but he assumed Arnold had been a chef before he came to work for the Blakes. It was good to see him again.
“How are you, Arnold? I haven’t seen you in years.”
“I’m all right, Lieutenant Blake. Congratulations on your promotion. Do you have any preferences for dinner tonight?”
“Sorry, Arnold, but Admiral Craddock’s wife invited us over for dinner tonight. She was very insistent and her husband is my boss. We’ll do this some other night.”
Kelly visited with his parents and, although Arnold was stymied on preparing dinner, he did come up with a marvelous high tea. He laid out a spread of mixed fruit scones, egg salad sandwiches, and stuffed pastries. The rare Russian Caravan tea was a special treat. He luxuriated in his parents’ company for the afternoon.
They wished Arnold a good evening and walked down to the Craddock’s house. Candy met them at the door and ushered them out onto the patio. Moira went into the kitchen to help Mrs. Craddock, while the admiral took Andrew off into his study. This left Candy alone with Kelly. She took his hand and led him into the garden. She was particularly attractive tonight, wearing a kelly green silk blouse and black silk lounging pants. Kelly wondered if the color was chosen to send a subliminal message. She stopped near a tree, leaned back against it, and said, “I missed you while you were gone. You are the only person around here that’s interesting. Most of the junior officers around here are boring and the senior officers are all too fat, too old, or too married. My law firm is full of a bunch of old fuds. I think they hired me for my breasts more than for my abilities. They treat me like a law clerk rather than a lawyer.”
Kelly looked at her. He could understand their interest in her breasts. They were spectacular, bordering on awe inspiring.
Candy continued, “I’m thinking of leaving the firm and taking a job here with the Judge Advocate General’s office. They have an opening for a civil law counsel here. Contract law is contract law. I would be working the other side of the cases that I should be working now. I’d just have a better class of client than I do now.”
Kelly laughed at her comment.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him deeper into the garden. They came to a ring of trees similar to the ones on the island where he and Tammy had spent the day. She walked them into the center of the ring. There was a bench in the center. They sat down and talked until it was time for dinner. When dinner was announced, she turned to him, gave him a kiss, and stood up. She gathered up his hand and walked him back to the house.