The Goodwill Gesture

by McKay, KC

  I couldn't hold my mouth closed and stared at my hillbilly friend in amazement. "You mean you're not…"

  He shook his head, still smiling. "Nope. I smoked the entrance exam, but it didn't take long after I joined up to see what happened to guys who were accountable for the actions of others, so I was happy for everyone to see me as an ignoramus."

  "So… I didn't need to tutor you?"

  He spit in his can. "Nope. I knew I'd pass it, and I made sure I only barely passed. Don't want them making me an Admiral or anything for being too smart."

  My heart wouldn't keep up with the shocks at this rate. Me passing? Okay, I could believe that. But Billy Earl? He even manipulated his score.

  I was so happy I didn't know what to do next. Cloud nine hovered too low. I was beyond that. Telling Darcy would have to be the next thing. She had two smart guys in the same shop. No doubt she'd be pleased, for both of us.

  I floated to her office, trying to visualize the expression of happiness her face would show when I told her the good news.

  I entered her office to be met with disappointment. Darcy wasn't there, but Master Chief was, wearing his usual grumpy face. To make things worse, he had that damn backscratcher out, stroking his back. Still, I was high enough that I wasn't going to let him drag me down.

  "What's up, Chambers?" he grunted.

  "Ah, Master Chief, guess what? I'm passing all my college exams and hopefully I'll make officer before too long." I smiled broadly. "Ha, wouldn't that be funny if I wound up outranking you, and you'd have to take orders from me."

  The corner of his mouth twitched and I looked for escaping drool. "Chambers, the day you give me an order is the day I rip your nuts off and feed 'em to you."

  I shrugged. "I'm just saying, if I get my commission--"

  He shook the backscratcher in my direction. "Thank God I'll be retired when, or if, you ever make officer; and if you do, I pray to the Almighty that the United States is never attacked if you're ever in charge of anything more than a dinghy."

  "Don't worry, Master Chief, you can sleep easy at night if I'm at the helm."

  His stare made it clear that he would not sleep easy if I ever made it to Captain Chambers. "By the way, Chambers…" He bounced the scratcher against the side of his head, "…just how did you get recommended for an officer's program?"

  "Hard work, Master Chief. That's how." I felt insulted that he didn't or couldn't appreciate my hard work or intelligence. I hadn't had any major screw-ups, so I didn't know what his problem was. He just didn't like me. He was lucky he would be out of the Navy before I outranked him or I would bust his ass.

  "Well…" He stood up and stretched. "I'd love to sit here and discuss your résumé of hard work, but I gotta take a crap. Look at it this way, at least I'll be thinking of you." He laughed as he left the space, his chuckles echoing off the steel walls.

  A rage fell over me. I grabbed the backscratcher off his desk, shoved it down my pants and scratched my ass. "Scratch this, motherfucker," I hissed.

  Darcy appeared from around the corner. "Oh, for Pete's sake!" She threw her arms in the air. "Not again!"

  I yanked the bamboo stick out of my pants and lay it on Master Chief's desk. "It's not what you think. It's just that son of a bitch—"

  She held her hand up. "Zac. Shut up."

  I hung my head. "Yes, ma'am."

  When I looked up again, her anger had dissipated. It looked like she was even smirking. It had probably been fake anger anyway.

  We stood face to face.

  "I have some good news," I announced. "I passed my college exams."

  Her face lit up. She looked over her shoulder, then back at me. "Zac, that's fantastic." She leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek.

  Wow. I was on a winner. "And Billy Earl passed his test for first class, thanks to my outstanding tutoring abilities."

  "Really?" That revelation earned me another peck on the cheek.

  We stood grinning at each other.

  She held her hands behind her back and bounced on her toes. "I may as well make your day complete. You know that electrician who won Sailor of the Year?"

  I nodded.

  "He's been stripped of his title, and probably a lot more to come."

  "What?"

  "He was the guy who gave Kemp her… infection. Apparently, he made some rude comments to her, she flipped out and gave him a damn good hiding. But… he fought back and gave her a black eye."

  "No way. Is she okay?"

  Darcy nodded. "Oh yeah. She's fine. I don't think you'd want to tangle with Miss Kemp. She definitely got the better of him and put the guy in the hospital. Of course, the Anticipation can't have a disease-ridden woman beater representing the ship and the United States." She shook her head, wearing a wry smile. "Believe it or not, you were the runner-up." Her look of happiness warmed my heart.

  "You mean…" I placed my hand on my chest. "I'm Sailor of the Year?" It wasn't likely to have a cardiac arrest at twenty-four, but that's what it felt like.

  She nodded, still beaming. "Yep."

  I gave a fist pump. "Yeeees!"

  Darcy stepped forward and embraced me. "I'm so proud of you. For everything."

  I hugged her back. Tight. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the closeness of our bodies. She shared in my moment of glory, and there was no one I would have rather had holding me at that moment. Pure excitement drove our bodies together and our closeness took me to the next level. I became aroused. Erection-driven instinct engaged itself and my hands fell lower without any conscious planning on my part. Suddenly, both my hands were grabbing her ass, squeezing. I thrust her hips forward, grinding myself into her.

  "You'd better stop," she panted.

  With my chin resting on her shoulder, I opened my eyes to just a slit. A crippling pain shot through my heart when I saw the PMA standing there, Darcy's back to him and his stare studying our embrace.

  His arms were folded across his chest and the end of his eyebrows pointed skyward.

  It didn't look like he noticed me looking at him, so I squeezed my eyes tight. I needed a plan, and quick. If our affair was uncovered, I could probably get away with it and hang onto my career. The Navy didn't hold enlisted people to the same high standards as officers.

  "Don't fight me, baby," I said aloud. I moved my mouth to her ear and barely whispered. "Don't question me, just slap me hard."

  "This is not the time to play games," she snapped. Her tone carried authority.

  I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "I'm not playing, bitch!" I growled.

  "Bitch?" She squealed, then planted a slap across my face. "I said no!"

  "What the hell is going on here?" the PMA yelled.

  Darcy spun to face him. "Oh, Commander Gentry. I didn't see you there, sir."

  "Obviously." He placed his hands on his hips and wore the scowl of Satan himself.

  Darcy glowed a bright shade of red. "It's nothing, sir."

  The PMA's gaze fell to my erected crotch. "It doesn't look like Petty Officer Chambers thinks it's nothing."

  Darcy glanced sideways at my groin, then rolled her eyes as she looked away. "It's not what you think, sir," she sputtered.

  "Lieutenant, I'm not stupid. You're hugging a subordinate who's brandishing a raging hard-on, and you try to tell me nothing is going on?" His cold steely eyes darted back and forth between Darcy and me.

  Darcy couldn't look at him, her gaze fixed firmly downward. She remained silent.

  The PMA's face creased. "Fraternization and having an… affair… with enlisted personnel is strictly against Navy policy. You know that. Not to mention, you're in his direct chain of command….And, this is a clear case of conduct unbecoming an officer. Lieutenant Novak, your little fling just bought you a ticket out of the Navy. Your career is over and I'm going to see to that personally. I'm going to file court-martial papers."

  "Sir, it wasn't like that," I said.

  "You may as well shut your mouth, Chambers," the PM
A snapped. "You're not getting out of this either. You may not get thrown out of the Navy, but I'm damn sure gonna bust your ass too." His stare frightened me and it took a moment before I could speak.

  Surely the PMA saw Darcy say no and slap me. Maybe the PMA was stupid, but I wasn't going to let Darcy burn. If it was a question of me or her, it would have to be me.

  Darcy finally looked at the PMA. "Commander—"

  I put my hand up, halting her. I shook my head. "No, sir. It was like that. Just what you saw. I attacked her. Lieutenant Novak said no to my advances, but I forced myself on her. It was a moment of madness."

  Darcy's jaw dropped as she stared at me. "Za—Chambers… What are you doing?"

  I looked at her, contorting my face into sign language I hoped she could read. "It's no good trying to excuse me, ma'am. I did a bad thing, and I'm sorry. I'll take my punishment." I turned my gaze to the PMA. "Sir, don't let my behavior stain Lieutenant Novak's reputation."

  He put his hands behind his back. "You're confessing to assault and attempted rape?"

  I stared at the floor. I had mere seconds to decide if I was willing to fall on the sword to salvage Darcy's career. "Yes, sir."

  "Commander," Darcy interrupted. "I can't let—"

  "Lieutenant, please!" I snapped. "I've done wrong and I'll take the consequences." I willed my thoughts to her with every ounce of telepathic power I possessed. Please, Darcy. Don't say anything! Let it go!

  "Well, Lieutenant?" The PMA's eyebrows arched. "Is what Petty Officer Chambers said correct?"

  Both of us stared at Darcy.

  My heart pounded like an erupting volcano, shooting bursts of hot blood with each pump generated from the inner core of my being. I closed my eyes and prayed. With my confession, I was already going down no matter what she said. I prayed she would save herself. Please, Darcy. Don't let my confession be in vain. My eye muscles tightened until they hurt.

  The evening when Darcy and I laid together on the beach in Spain making love, the earth moved. Now, as I waited for her answer, it stood torturously still.

  Chapter 36

  Darcy's body went limp and she fell to the floor in a crumpled mess.

  Seeing my lover lying on the deck sent shockwaves through me. I leaned down to help her.

  The PMA launched his boot into my ribcage. "Get away from her, you pervert. She's fainted." He leaned over her and smacked the side of her face, calling out her name.

  Her eyes rolled open and she looked around. "What happened?"

  "Don't worry, you fainted," the PMA soothed her. "Here, sit up." He propped her up against the desk, then picked up the phone and dialed a number, holding me still with a death stare. "Officer of the Deck, this is the PMA, Commander Gentry. Send a Corpsman and a couple of Marines to the R-One division office, ASAP."

  Within a few moments, the office began filling up. Master Chief returned from his dump, a Corpsman arrived with his medical bag, and two Marines armed with M-16s all paraded into the office.

  "Marines," the PMA instructed, "take this man to his berthing. Chambers, give me your ID card." He held his hand out.

  Without my ID card, I wouldn't be able to leave the ship. I handed him my card and stole a glance at Darcy. Her eyes were sympathetic, although looking somewhat confused.

  The Marines escorted me to berthing where I crawled into my rack and shut the curtains. I lay in my bunk thinking about my future, which looked pretty grim no matter how I looked at it.

  ***

  I lay in my bunk for hours until my curtains were abruptly pulled back. A flustered and mean-looking Billy Earl stood there. "You son of a bitch, I oughta whip you like a red-headed stepchild. Touchin' up a pretty woman like Lieutenant Novak. What in tarnation is wrong with you?"

  I drew a deep breath. "It's not what you think, but it's best if you just mind your own business on this one. Okay?"

  His cheeks bubbled. "Don't ask me why, but she wants you to meet her by lifeboat number twelve at twenty-one hundred tonight. I hope it's to kick you in the balls for what you done to her." Billy Earl stormed off.

  I waited around the lifeboat at nine that night as requested. It was dark and cold, but at least it wasn't raining. The Scottish air was brisk and marred by fumes from various running equipment from around Site Bravo.

  The red cinder from my cigarette set a glow around my face. A shadow walked toward me. It was insane to be outside without any business to tend to in the frigid air, so I figured it must have been Darcy approaching. It was.

  "Sorry to bring you out in the cold," she apologized. "Meeting in my stateroom's not a good idea at the moment, but I didn't know where else we could meet in private."

  "Are you okay? That was a nasty fall you had earlier."

  She nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks. So what's with all this 'you attacking me' lark?"

  I looked around and didn't see anyone else. "Look, Darcy, there's no point in both of us going down. The PMA saw us, so there was no denying something was happening. I'm expendable. If we stick to the story that you weren't a willing participant you can still walk away from this with a clean record."

  She touched the side of my arm. "Zac, I can't let you do that. I'm as much at fault as you. Probably more. If we confess together, you might be able to stay in."

  I shook my head. "No, that's not what I want. Look, me being an officer was probably a pipe dream anyway. It's you we have to save." I took her hands in mine. Both of us wore gloves yet the touch was real and meaningful. "Darcy, please. Let me do this for you. I love you and your career is more important than mine. I want to do this."

  She took a deep breath and we stared at one another for a long time. "I love you, Zac. How can I let my boyfriend go to the brig when I know I'm at fault?"

  "How can I let my girlfriend get kicked out just because she can't resist my cock?"

  She giggled-snorted, then returned to seriousness. "Are you really willing to do time in prison to save me?"

  The reality sounded harsher when spoken aloud, but I couldn't let that deter me from salvaging her career. "Yes, I am."

  She stepped forward and embraced me, her head resting on my shoulder as she sobbed softly.

  I offered a comforting hug in return.

  She stood back and wiped her eyes. "I really don't like this, Zac."

  I rested my hands on her shoulders. "Darcy, please. I insist. It's the only way."

  She sniffled. "In that case, I don't know what to say."

  "Don't say anything. That's the key. I attacked you, end of story. There's nothing more to say."

  She ran her gloved finger under her nose and sniffled. "Zac, this is so gallant. If we have to be separated, I want you to have hope. I want to have hope. I'm committed to you, Zac. Marry me."

  "What? You can't be serious." The Navy had me thoroughly convinced that working on nuclear submarines was extremely safe, but Darcy just injected doubt into that theory because she was talking like she had brain damage. I wouldn't have minded a pity fuck, but marriage? A small chuckle escaped from my lips. "Oh, I get it. Don't worry, babe, you don't have to do that. I won't become Tyrone's bitch in the big house and suddenly turn gay."

  A crease in her lips showed some of her teeth briefly before disappearing as quickly as it came. "I'm serious, Zac. You're making a huge sacrifice for me. I loved you anyway, but I want to show you my love in return. I'll wait for you. I want us to be together… forever, while you're in the brig and long after you get out."

  "Darcy, I appreciate you wanting to reciprocate, but it's not necessary. Besides, you can't marry the guy accused of trying to rape you. That doesn't give our story any credibility."

  "We'll keep it our little secret. We could elope." She scrunched her shoulders together and smiled in what looked like excitement. "I want to do it for us, not as a show for anyone else." She stepped in and slung her arms around my neck. "Zac, I love you. Will you marry me?"

  "I don't know what to say. Besides, you're a girl — you can't ask me, I h
ave to ask you."

  "Oh, pooh. Make me the happiest girl in the world and say yes."

  The whites of her eyes shone in the moonlight. I always wanted someone to return my love, and Darcy Novak looked, said, and acted like that was exactly what she wanted to do. Did guys ever really get the chance to marry their fantasy girl? I smiled. "Yes, Miss Novak, I'd be honored."

  Despite the cold weather, our kiss sent hot flashes spiraling around my body, encasing me in a blanket of love that burned my soul.

  The worst day of my life had just become my best.

  Chapter 36

  The PMA put me on report and it wouldn't be long before I was on my way to a court-martial. He was pissed I tried to dork one of his officers and wanted maximum punishment for me. In the meantime, he wanted me restricted to the ship indefinitely, but that required the Captain's directive. To do that, I was ordered to appear before the Executive Officer first to see if my crimes were worthy of wasting the Captain's time.

  A ship's Master-At-Arms, a shipboard cop, escorted me to the ass-chewing XO's stateroom for the inquiry.

  The PMA and a formal-looking Lt. Novak were already seated in the room when I arrived. I stood at attention in front of the big man's desk, then assumed a more relaxed 'parade rest' stance at his instruction — but I felt vulnerable with my hands behind my back, feeling exposed to the upcoming wrath I would no doubt be on the receiving end of.

  The XO raised a piece of paper from his desk, angling it so he could read it. "Petty Officer Chambers, some serious charges have been levied against you. Namely…" he readjusted his glasses and focused on the paper in his hand, "…you tried to forcibly have sex with a Naval officer on a Naval vessel." He slammed his fist on the desk and aimed his finger at me. "That amounts to attempted rape, fraternization, assault, insubordination, lewd and lascivious behavior, and disgracing the uniform of a United States sailor." He trained his eyes on me, leaving the accusations echoing off the walls.