Prologue
~
It was approaching Heaven's Day. Voices full of pleasantries filled the chill air; everywhere
one looked faces were creased with smiles. Even the Military Police were upbeat despite the
seasonal overtime. The annual Policeman's Charity Ball was tonight. Good cheer seemed inevitable
... for all but one inhabitant of Paradigm City.
Roger Smith had been in a distinctly bad mood when he entered Major Dan Dastun's office.
Although the officers outside could not hear the words exchanged, it was obvious from their
body language that nothing Dastun was saying was cheering his old friend.
Finally the two men shook hands. The black-clad negotiator strode out, not bothering even to
flirt with the pretty secretary out front. In his haste he nearly knocked over an aide bringing
hot coffee for the Major.
"What a louse! What is it with that guy?" grumbled the young officer as he carefully set the
steaming pot on his superior's desk.
Dastun sighed."This is a very rough time of year for Mr. Smith. I guess in some ways he
blames me." He poured out some coffee, offering it first to the aide who refused. Dastun took a
small sip, then continued talking.
"This all started a few years ago when Roger Smith was still a member of the Military
Police. He was an excellent officer, very committed, but maybe a little too idealistic for his
own good--sort of like Bonny Frazier."
The younger man nodded, too astonished by his major's need to confide to respond verbally.
"It was hard for Smith to accept that even our elite corp had been compromised. The desire
for power and money is a common weakness. Smith believed (as do I) that it had no place in the
Military Police. He just could not work past it. His anger was beginning to depress and eat
away at him. Smith started to lose focus, get a little careless...he was going to get himself
killed. I didn't want to lose a good man, a friend, like that. Talking did no good--he
wouldn't listen. Roger needed to be brought back into the world fast... so I decided to do
something crazy."
Dastun stopped short, suddenly aware that he was talking too much.
"Well, to make a long story short, things didn't go the way I'd hoped. Lieutenant, you
are dismissed."
Not feeling especially enlightened, the young officer saluted and returned to his duties.
Dastun sat quietly back in his chair. Even he didn't know all the details and it was his
loss too. He suddenly wanted to get very drunk, to blot out the memory of that awful look on
Roger Smith's face. He wondered if Smith would get drunk tonight too.
~Chapter 1 (Three Years Earlier)
Major Dan Dastun was sitting at his desk, talking heatedly into his phone:"Look, just
be there!" He slammed the receiver down, startling the lieutenant entering his office.
"Sir!" the handsome young officer smartly snapped a salute.
"At ease, Smith, and shut the door. I need to talk to you" growled the major.
Roger Smith quickly obeyed. From his grimly puzzled expression it was clear he expected
a dressing down, though he didn't have a clue why. He took a deep breath and waited for
Major Dastun to continue.
"Smith, you are aware that the Policeman's Ball is tomorrow night?"
"Huh?" Roger's expression shifted from grimly puzzled to merely puzzled. "Um, yes,
Sir."
"Are you planning to attend?"
"Am I--no Sir, I am not."
"So, do you have some important reason for this decision?"
Roger was totally confused now. What was Dastun doing?
"No Sir. I was just going to stay home...nothing special."
Dastun nodded."Well, Lt. Smith, I have an important assignment for you. You are the
only officer that is qualified for this." He paused, watching the effect of his words on the
young man's face. I have to do this right, he thought, or it will sound ridiculous.
"You are attending the Policeman's Ball. Your uniform will be perfect. You are going to be
the escort of a woman there, and I expect you to make me proud." There. It was out. Roger would
probably think him a fool for the rest of both their lives.
For his part, Roger Smith was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, shut it, swallowed hard.
His surprise ripped down the walls of rank:
"Dastun, are you setting me up on a blind date? You can't be serious!"
The major interrupted him. "I am serious, damnit. Look, don't think of it as a date--
it's a charity case, okay? Besides it's an order and you better not screw it up."
Roger was fuming, but an order was an order. Besides, it wasn't as if Dastun pulled
this sort of thing for the hell of it...he must have gotten his arm well twisted too. More
political crap!
Dismissed, the young office left the major's office and headed home to his cramped
apartment.
~
It was approaching Heaven's Day. Voices full of pleasantries filled the chill air; everywhere
one looked faces were creased with smiles. Even the Military Police were upbeat despite the
seasonal overtime. The annual Policeman's Charity Ball was tonight. Good cheer seemed inevitable
... for all but one inhabitant of Paradigm City.
Roger Smith had been in a distinctly bad mood when he entered Major Dan Dastun's office.
Although the officers outside could not hear the words exchanged, it was obvious from their
body language that nothing Dastun was saying was cheering his old friend.
Finally the two men shook hands. The black-clad negotiator strode out, not bothering even to
flirt with the pretty secretary out front. In his haste he nearly knocked over an aide bringing
hot coffee for the Major.
"What a louse! What is it with that guy?" grumbled the young officer as he carefully set the
steaming pot on his superior's desk.
Dastun sighed."This is a very rough time of year for Mr. Smith. I guess in some ways he
blames me." He poured out some coffee, offering it first to the aide who refused. Dastun took a
small sip, then continued talking.
"This all started a few years ago when Roger Smith was still a member of the Military
Police. He was an excellent officer, very committed, but maybe a little too idealistic for his
own good--sort of like Bonny Frazier."
The younger man nodded, too astonished by his major's need to confide to respond verbally.
"It was hard for Smith to accept that even our elite corp had been compromised. The desire
for power and money is a common weakness. Smith believed (as do I) that it had no place in the
Military Police. He just could not work past it. His anger was beginning to depress and eat
away at him. Smith started to lose focus, get a little careless...he was going to get himself
killed. I didn't want to lose a good man, a friend, like that. Talking did no good--he
wouldn't listen. Roger needed to be brought back into the world fast... so I decided to do
something crazy."
Dastun stopped short, suddenly aware that he was talking too much.
"Well, to make a long story short, things didn't go the way I'd hoped. Lieutenant, you
are dismissed."
Not feeling especially enlightened, the young officer saluted and returned to his duties.
Dastun sat quietly back in his chair. Even he didn't know all the details and it was his
loss too. He suddenly wanted to get very drunk, to blot out the memory of that awful look on
Roger Smith's face. He wondered if Smith would get drunk tonight too.
~Chapter 1 (Three Years Earlier)
Major Dan Dastun was sitting at his desk, talking heatedly into his phone:"Look, just
be there!" He slammed the receiver down, startling the lieutenant entering his office.
"Sir!" the handsome young officer smartly snapped a salute.
"At ease, Smith, and shut the door. I need to talk to you" growled the major.
Roger Smith quickly obeyed. From his grimly puzzled expression it was clear he expected
a dressing down, though he didn't have a clue why. He took a deep breath and waited for
Major Dastun to continue.
"Smith, you are aware that the Policeman's Ball is tomorrow night?"
"Huh?" Roger's expression shifted from grimly puzzled to merely puzzled. "Um, yes,
Sir."
"Are you planning to attend?"
"Am I--no Sir, I am not."
"So, do you have some important reason for this decision?"
Roger was totally confused now. What was Dastun doing?
"No Sir. I was just going to stay home...nothing special."
Dastun nodded."Well, Lt. Smith, I have an important assignment for you. You are the
only officer that is qualified for this." He paused, watching the effect of his words on the
young man's face. I have to do this right, he thought, or it will sound ridiculous.
"You are attending the Policeman's Ball. Your uniform will be perfect. You are going to be
the escort of a woman there, and I expect you to make me proud." There. It was out. Roger would
probably think him a fool for the rest of both their lives.
For his part, Roger Smith was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, shut it, swallowed hard.
His surprise ripped down the walls of rank:
"Dastun, are you setting me up on a blind date? You can't be serious!"
The major interrupted him. "I am serious, damnit. Look, don't think of it as a date--
it's a charity case, okay? Besides it's an order and you better not screw it up."
Roger was fuming, but an order was an order. Besides, it wasn't as if Dastun pulled
this sort of thing for the hell of it...he must have gotten his arm well twisted too. More
political crap!
Dismissed, the young office left the major's office and headed home to his cramped
apartment.