O'hara's Choice - Leon Uris [127]
That was when Zach tumbled off the edge of his bed, showered, and plunged into a whirling dream of hell on earth until a persistent knock sent him crookedly to the door.
“There is a telephone call for you in the duty office.”
Telephone call! Energy from God knows where flooded into him.
Zach patted himself down. He was in skivvy drawers. He found his bathrobe and the key to his room, stepped into the hall, and locked the door.
“Stand guard on my door until I return. Sensitive information.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Into the duty office he blundered. The chief on duty rang the switchboard.
“Naval War College.”
“BOQ, my party is ready.”
“It will take me a minute to reconnect.”
The chief gave up his seat and the phone and retreated from the room.
“Lieutenant O’Hara.”
“This is Willow. I’m in Baltimore. I just got back from a Christmas visit.”
“She all right?”
“She’s fine. How you doing, Zachary?”
“Oh, I’m rolling along real well. Finishing up on time, so I ought to be coming down after the first.”
“You sound miserable,” Willow said.
Zach balked.
“No, I’m . . . I’m . . . Christ, Willow, give me something to hang on to!”
“Amanda has always been aloof from the idea of loving a man. The way she loves you is beautiful, and very frightening. When you come to Nebo it could be the only time you ever have together. You know that.”
“I know.”
“Neither of you is ever going to get over it.”
“I know . . .”
“Don’t end up dying there together.”
“It’s crossed my mind.”
“Hers as well. I don’t want any Romeo and Juliet bullshit,” Willow cried.
“Thanks, Willow. Happy New Year now. Bye.”
“Bye, Zach.”
“Waiting, are you waiting?” the switchboard asked.
The duty chief reentered.
“Let me give you a hand back to your quarters, sir.”
“Appreciate that, Chief, but first can we get a call through to the barracks in Washington?”
“Should have no trouble getting a line this time of night.”
“Get me Major Boone.”
“Marine barracks.”
“Major Ben Boone, please.”
“The major left yesterday, sir.”
. . . hello . . . hello . . . are you waiting . . . ? are you all right, Lieutenant . . . ? no, we turn right here . . . there’s your room . . .
Zach fished the key out of his robe . . . the chief and the petty officer helped him in.
“I’m fine, I’m all right. Thank you.”
. . . Jesus H., Ben’s been haunting the halls of the War Department in endless meetings, their communiqués and calls had to be read between the lines . . . Ben said he had never mentioned or heard the word Japan. Did they get it?
Zach balanced on the edge of his cot and pulled the writing table up to him.
“Where were we . . . conclusion one hundred and three . . . rifle calibration . . .”
He no longer had the strength to grip the pen or keep his eyelids open. Harpies inside him shrieked for sleep.
“Where were we? Think maybe a little five-minute pick-me-up nap.”
He came out of it fighting to awaken and heard the count of ship’s bells. Eleven in the morning! The night had fled. Zach bolted upright. The room was an ugly gray. Outside the window, the weather muffled up, nasty.
Ben! He’s left Washington and never contacted me!
All right, man, he commanded himself, get your shit together in rapid order.
Fortified by six hours’ sleep, he cleaned himself up and made his room shipshape and had a tray brought in from the officers’ mess. By noon he returned to “Random Study Sixteen.” Two hundred pages coming to an end. Too late? Never mind, keep working on it.
He poured in bitter coffee, shook his aching hand, and pushed on to the final recommendation.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION #105
ALTHOUGH great similarities make the Anglo-American alliance possible, we have enormous differences regarding Britain’s imperial role and America’s future role in the coming century.
The British empire came into being through naval power with a minimal number of home troops and modern arms to conquer an overmatched adversary. Once in power, the British mastered the principle of “divide and rule” by putting native troops into British uniform.
Their imperial expansion was based on