The marine leaned forward as if to impart a state secret, but spoke loudly enough that anybody within ten yards could hear.

“They told Kolhammer he had to get rid of all the women and nonwhites if we were going to be staying and fighting. Can you believe it? You should do a story on it.”

Rumor deposited, the woman walked off without waiting for a response.

“Well, did they?” asked Natoli, turning to Nguyen

“How would I know? I wasn’t there, neither was she, I’ll bet. But the locals are going to come up against a hard truth if they try to pull something like that. Thirty percent of the personnel in this task force are women, and only sixty percent of the guys are white. And they’re not going to side with a bunch a bigots against their own friends, anyway.”

“You think they really are bigots?” asked Duffy, dropping her voice.

“Nah, they’re just ignorant. They haven’t read your book yet, Julia.”

“Hey, Jules,” said Natoli. “Here’s your favorite primitive, just back from the tundra.”

Lieutenant Commander Black, in a newly pressed uniform, threaded through the mess tables toward them. He smiled at Natoli and shook hands with Lieutenant Nguyen. He was past being surprised at finding little Asian women in military uniform. He turned toward Julia Duffy.

“I’ve got a few days’ liberty,” he told her. “And they gave me a room over at the Moana. I thought you might like to come into town for a swim. You can sneak through the barbed wire on the beach, if you know the way.”

“My word, Commander, that’s awfully forward of you,” she mocked gently.

Black wasn’t sure what to say next. He looked uncomfortable, like a man trapped in an exchange with somebody whose mind worked much faster than his own.

Julia turned the full wattage of her smile on him. “Lieutenant Commander Black, I do believe you will die of embarrassment right where you stand, if this goes on. Relax. I’d love to come over, as long as you can get Rosanna a room, as well. But right now, we’re helping Rachel with something. You want go strutting through Honolulu with your trophy bitches, you’ll have to lend us a hand first.”

Now Black really was embarrassed. He actually blushed, down to the roots of his thick, slicked-back hair. The six sailors from the Enterprise all froze, as though poleaxed. They openly gawked at the two civilians now.