The Command

But he couldn’t do it, the XO couldn’t do it, a wardroom full of officers couldn’t do it. Only one community could turn the crew around.

Forker stood by at the door to the chiefs’ mess. Dan nodded, and the chief master at arms jerked it open.

“Attention on deck!” They came to their feet in a surge, cigarettes hastily stubbing out. The air was a blue haze already.

“Carry on,” he said, and took the center. The chiefs and first class stood around the edge of the compartment, crowded back into the berthing area. Some with arms folded: a bad sign. He caught Hotchkiss’s eye. Good, she needed to hear this, too. He raised his voice. “Can everyone hear me? Good.

“I guess everybody’s heard what happened this morning in female berthing. Some anonymous coward set a fuel fire. Endangering not just the lives of the sailors in that compartment, but everyone aboard. It’s arson, and if someone had gotten killed — and we had three people report to sick bay for smoke inhalation — it’d be murder. And this meeting would be the beginning of a murder investigation.”

He let that take effect. Some nodded, expressions sober. The ones who’d seen what fire could do at sea, most likely.

“Somebody doesn’t like having women aboard. Okay, he’s got a right to his opinion. But when it comes to destruction of property and threatening the lives of his shipmates, that’s where the right to an opinion ends.

“If the guys in this room want a witch hunt, a no-date policy, and the NCIS aboard tearing us apart, I’m ready to go that way. The message is written. It’ll wreck this ship. I can see that far ahead. And I think you guys in this compartment are the ship. You put your sweat equity into making her what she is today, the best-prepared strike destroyer in the U.S. Navy.

“But somebody aboard wants to destroy everything we’ve worked to build.

“Before I kick this upstairs, I want to try to fix this one last time through the people who lead this ship. The chiefs and senior petty officers, the work center supervisors. The seamen and junior petty officers listen to you. The younger sailors follow your example.”

He paused, looking at their faces; wondering if he was getting through. Maybe to some. Enough? The right ones? He had no way of knowing.

“I will say that I have ways of finding out who set that fire. When I do, he will not enjoy it. I will make an example of someone who values the lives of his shipmates so little.

“Here’s the offer I’m making to anyone who doesn’t want to be with the command program. I want you to pass it on to every one of your men.

“I don’t care what they think about women in the navy. They’re here. The problem’s not the women. The problem is certain people’s attitude.

“So let’s talk to that attitude. You men know who the cases are in your division who feel that way. Tell them this. From me.

“You can’t serve with women? Then get off Horn. Say so now. I’ll sign your letter and transfer you off. But if don’t get with the program, you’ll be sorry you ever met me. If anything like this happens again, you will go through every refinement of the military justice system I can locate for you.”

There, that was enough. He nodded curtly, and turned, and they made way for him to leave.

Outside, Forker looked both anxious and impressed. “Well?” Dan asked him.

“You laid it out for ’em, sir. Unfuck this, or die.”

“I don’t think that’s exactly the way I put it.”

Forker looked as if that was exactly the way he’d put it. “Anyway, that laid it on the line. I don’t think we’ll see any more fires.”

“I hope you’re right, Chief. But I want to find out who set this one.”

He stopped in his in-port cabin to get his gym gear. Looking around the empty stateroom, he suddenly felt everything he’d done that day was wrong, too late, too feeble, and not enough.

Was Hotchkiss right? Was he covering up a problem he ought to hand over to the investigators? Covering his ass to save his career, the same thing he’d hated and resented in those above him? Only time would tell. Unfortunately, with Claudia Hotchkiss on his six, he didn’t have much of that.

Even worse, whoever had done it might strike again. Killing someone this time. How would he live with himself then?

He stared out the porthole, rubbing his mouth as night came to the Red Sea.

14

Manama, Bahrain

The big white Suburban was assigned to the office; it wasn’t hers. Aisha had bought a Hyundai in San Diego, but it was in Staten Island now. Her mom didn’t drive, but her dad took it to Jumah service every week to keep it in running condition.

She was waiting when the door opened, and a large man in a dark suit and maroon figured tie looked in. “Want me to—”

“It’s okay, Bob. I’ll drive.”