by Ava D. Dohn
* * *
Darla was so exhausted after the morning’s excitement, she decided to take a short nap before continuing her needed work. She found an unoccupied room and snuck inside. ‘Twenty minutes would do fine…’
“Colonel Adaya!” The smiling attendant called out, seeing Darla hurrying toward the officers’ mess.
Darla sheepishly thanked the woman, her wet hair spattering tiny droplets of water on the attendant’s blouse as she rushed past. How embarrassing, to be late for the commodore’s dinner! She had meant to rest only twenty minutes, but a dreamless sleep overtook her and it was past six by the time it released its grip. It was now nearly half past that hour, half past dining time.
She stepped into the room, hoping to go unnoticed. Not to be! Instantly, a dozen voices called out her name, followed by everyone standing and applauding her arrival. Poor Darla. There had been no time to return to the Oruomai to bathe and change into evening attire. All she could do was find a washroom and splash some water on her face, soaking her long hair when its ends accidentally fell in the basin. There the woman stood, looking half asleep, wearing a disheveled, water-stained work uniform, and hair uncombed. All Darla wanted to do was cry.
Sensing Darla’s distress, the captain of the Admiral Lonche excused himself from his table and went to the colonel’s assistance. Upon arrival, he extended his hand while expressing salutation. He then made excuse for her appearance. “These are busy times, Colonel Adaya, and I’m sure you have many responsibilities. It is so kind of you to tear yourself away from them long enough to share in our company.”
Darla looked into the captain’s eyes, seeing honest consideration and concern. Few people had ever shown her such real kindness. She recalled the moment and that gallant officer years later, when news reached her ears of the demise of the Admiral Lonche at the battle of Tolkah Bay. Her tears were many on that day.
“Come with me.” The captain clasped Darla’s hand and led her to the table where a place was set for her.
Before Darla could sit, someone across the table from her stood and reached out for her hand. A man with a huge, toothy grin greeted the colonel. “Greetings, Captain! It is such a pleasure to join again in your company.”
Darla was both surprised and pleased to see Jebbson. He was dressed in a brown, pinstriped, double-breasted business suit, with a stiff-collared shirt with a large black bowtie. A small medallion pinned to his lapel was the only identifying mark that indicated his rank and title. This combined with his loose-cut, shoulder-length hair and short-cropped blond beard made the man stand out among the others, also making Darla feel somewhat less conspicuous.
Darla took Jebbson’s hand and shook it. Grinning back, she replied, “Major Garlock, it is my pleasure to see you here. Tell me, please, are you the king’s adjutant, or am I to expect another?”
Still grinning, Jebbson jovially replied, “No! No! I’m sorry that you will have to suffer such a simple fellow as myself. Yet I must tell you, when I was informed that you should be the one I was to trouble so, my heart jumped with gladness. My experience tells me that high command usually provides officers who are being disciplined, of little experience, or are stuffed shirts to those with assignments such are as mine.”
Darla could not help but laugh. “So it has been with my own experiences. The ones in command usually dump the dullards, dreamers or incompetent members on their staff when such duties arise. I think it allows them opportunity to clean house without hurting feelings.”
They both laughed. Needless to say, not everyone at the table found their jabs at authority all that funny, but the comments were taken in stride. Planetee, who was seated next to Jebbson, interrupted. “If we are finished gloating over our fortune, may I call for our late dinner to be delivered?”
Jebbson made a face like that of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, turned and apologized to the commodore general. He looked again at Darla, and before sitting, congratulated her on the promotion. Darla thanked him and quietly seated herself. Soon the entire group was busy munching on salad or sipping soup. The quiet chitchat grew louder until, before the main meal was finished, humorous stories followed by raucous laughter filled the air.
The evening went well for Darla. No one made any comments about her appearance, other than to call attention to her lovely smile or the excited gleam in her emerald-green eyes. She found herself no longer being treated as inferior or cracked as she at times felt others viewed her troubled mind. Later in the evening, Euroaquilo put in an appearance and soon whisked Darla away for more private conversation. All in all, it turned into a very good day for the girl. She slept sound and secure in the arms of the man she loved so much. When morning arrived, the two lingered in cozy embrace, ignoring the hustle and bustle of the world around them. Duties and responsibilities could wait. That moment belonged to them and them alone.
Planetee and Jebbson remained the longest at the dinner table. Tomorrow Planetee must return to Palace City. She had declined Tizrela’s offer to journey with her on the Starlight back to Oros, secretly desiring to spend some time with Jebbson. The dining hall slowly cleared out as officers either retired for the evening or went back to unfinished duties. It was observed by some of those who lingered that, when the commodore and Jebbson departed, she lifted an unopened bottle of wine from a nearby cart as the two sauntered arm in arm out of the hall.
