Sara was just returning from dinner and unlocked her office door when her cell phone rang. She nodded to Keahi, who was sitting at his desk, looked at the display and answered: "Hello Steve. Are you psychic? I was just about to call you."
"Hey, Sara. I was afraid I was disturbing. What did you want?"
"You start, you called," she replied.
"I just received a travel order from Coronado. This whole thing feels very strange." He read the text.
Sara cleared her throat. "I can be even stranger. I just received an almost identical order from Norfolk. Including uniform instructions. Departure tomorrow, March 20, 10:00 PM Hickam AFB, arrival 6:30 AM local time North Island AFB. White service dress. Estimated length of stay is twenty-four hours, " she summarized. "But no indication of a reason for the trip. I have no idea what that is about. There is no holiday coming, I have no report someone has died ... I was just about to make some calls what could be going on."
"That makes two of us. But nobody knows anything. However, I have good news. I just spoke to Hank, the shuttle tomorrow night will be a C40 in passenger configuration, not a cargo plane. You can make yourself fairly comfortable and sleep during the flight."
"Thank God. 10 p.m., that means show up at eight. So you have to be home by seven at the latest, whatever happens. Your team also has to come along without you for forty-eight hours. I'll cancel my appointments tomorrow afternoon and take another session with Janice. That should make things easier. Since I don't know what Coronado is all about, I can't make an appointment there."
"Sounds good. I haven't even asked how you two are doing."
"We are doing quite fine. But now there is still some work to get off the table, the trip is coming in busy times. I'll see you tonight. Until then, please don't get beaten up or shot, okay? "
"Aye, ma'am," Steve joked, then hung up.
Sara got back to work, but the question of the background of the travel order continued to haunt her mind.

The following evening, about 7.15h, Sara was struggling with the last bobby pins to fix the required hair bun - and Steve was a no-show. The little suitcase was already packed, she had showered, was already wearing the white uniform except for the shirt, and had prepared everything necessary for herself. She put in the last hairpin, grabbed the hairspray can and ran down to the garden, where she card forthe necessary hold.
When she came back in, she heard Steve sprinting up the garden path. "You can explain to me where you are coming from later, but now hurry up, for God's sake. Your uniform is waiting on the bedroom door," she called after him as he ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
He had the fastest Navy shower ever, while Sara was getting dressed and then checking the windows and doors. "We'll take my car. I'm driving, "she said shortly, when he came down with the hatgear in one hand and the suitcase in the other.
"But..."
"Get in!" She pushed him out of the door and locked it behind them. "I'm not going to watch my child's father getting court-martialed for speeding through Honolulu in Navy uniform with flashing blue lights. Neither by the Navy nor the governor. Not to mention the press," she explained as they walked along the garden path and got into the Prius.
Steve was clinging to the handle above the passenger door as she speeded down the driveway. "If we arrive at all ... This is really embarrassing, showing up to the terminal in uniform, chauffeured by my pregnant wife in uniform ...", he moaned.
"You forgot the 'disabled'," Sara replied coldly and without looking at him as she shot over a traffic light in the last second.
"No, damn it, Sara ..."
"Shut up!", she ordered. They passed another traffic light at high speed, then reached the freeway and Sara took the left lane. Steve saw her activate voice control. "Call Keahi," she ordered the phone.
"What...?"
"Not now."
A voice came from the speaker.
"Ma'am?"
"Status, Petty Officer?"
"I just left the office, heading for the terminal with PO Bloom."
"Change of plan. Wait for us at Hickam Main Gate, we will exchange cars there."
"Aye, ma'am."
Keahi did not show whether the order irritated him, he hung up without comment.
"What are you doing ?!" Steve said in the passenger seat.
"I'm massaging your male ego." He watched her driving concentrated, keeping to the speed limit exactly. A few minutes later the speaker said, "Keahi is calling."
"Accept."
"Ma'am, we are in the parking lot in front of the VRO, ready to continue."
"Okay. We're coming with my car, which means you take over, Bloom takes us to the terminal."
"Roger that."
Not a word was spoken in the car until they reached the main gate to Airforce Base. He simply didn't dare to say anything. He had rarely seen his wife in this mood over the years, but it was safest to shut up. The guard recognized Sara and waved her straight through. Sara steered the car into the parking lot. The two young soldiers were waiting for them with the car doors already open. Steve got the suitcase and bag out of the trunk while she took her cell phone out of the center console and handed the car keys to Keahi. He obviously recognized the mood of his CO, he just wished her a good flight. Bloom waited with the engine running until Sara had also got into the pickup and then drove across all lanes onto the driveway to the passenger terminal.
It's been one minute to eight when they pulled up to the building.
"Thanks, Bloom," Sara said as they got out.
"Always a pleasure, ma'am," said the young soldier, greeting.
"Sara ..." Steve started again, but she waved it off.
"It is not a good role model to discuss this here in public, or getting there late." She took the shoulder bag off his hands and stepped through the automatic door. At the check-in there were only three soldiers waiting, behind which they lined up. When they reached the desk, the soldier in the cammies sitting behind it nodded and smiled at her. "Commanders McGarrett. Ma'am. Sir."
"Good evening, Sergeant Caines. We..."
"You're signed up for North Island, I know. The jet is almost full, but we kept row 1 free for you, as usual. You are the last to board, the family lounge is empty, you can get in there and put up your feet if you want."
"Thank you, Sergeant, for taking care of the short-term registration."
"You're welcome, ma'am."
They passed the security checkpoints under the watchful eye of some soldiers in cammies and several in civilian clothes, then they walked to the family lounge. The door wasn't fully closed when Steve asked, "Would you mind explaining me what this is about?"
"What do you mean? That fact you were late or you acting like a Neanderthal? 'My wife is at the wheel, that's embarrassing,' "she mimicked him.
"We had the chance to arrest the head of the gang which has been robbing cars at the beach for weeks and terrifying the owners. I couldn't get out in the middle of it. That's why I was late. And about the Neanderthals ... maybe. But I didn't say anything about disabled, that's your words. Are you always having special service when you fly out from here?"
"When Sergeant Caines is on duty, yes. I've known her for a long time, she used to be based in Oceana. Most of her colleagues take care of that too. In the meantime, you should have known me long enough to know this is only a matter of making the unfortunately necessary evil of flying as comfortable as possible. It's not about any rank privileges or exaggerated demands."
"I know that, Sara, it was just a question."
"Then you should work on your emphasis, Steve. And I've known you long enough to be aware that exactly what I said would have happened. If we had taken your car, you would have switched on the blue lights and siren at the third traffic light at the latest. That would have resulted in a subpoena to the military court, an epic lecture by the governor and a great headline. You know I agreed with Keahi that he would pick up our car and park it at the office building because of the construction site out there."
"And now he thinks I'm a Neanderthal," Steve groaned and dropped into one of the armchairs.
"Possible. But he has known you for a while, he knows you're a SEAL, so he will probably know that this action is mainly based on your ego and your control issues. And that you otherwise have little or no problems with the fact that you have an independent, equal wife."
"Mhm." He watched Sara take a seat on the couch and put her legs up. She sighed. "Everything okay?"
"Yes. I would love to know what this whole drama is about. My desk bends. I don't have time for such nonsense. "
"Tomorrow morning you'll know. Did you see Janice?"
"Yes, an hour in the pool. There was not enough time for more, something intervened. - But I've been home on time. "
"I know. I'm sorry. Now try to relax a little while we're still on the ground."
"Mhm."
Sara leaned her head in her hand and closed her eyes. He could see her tiredness and tension. Steve got a magazine about airplanes from the table that someone had forgotten there while waiting.
At 9.45h pm the door opened and Sergeant Caines appeared. Sara had obviously heard her, she raised her head.
"Commanders, the last bus is ready."
"Thank you." Sara nodded to her, shook her legs and slowly got up.
It was already dark when they got out of the bus at the foot of the gangway. A few last passengers climbed the stairs ahead of them. Sergeant Caines walked upstairs in front of Sara. When they were almost at the door, he could hear voices from inside.
"Don't you read, soldier? These two seats were clearly marked."
He couldn't understand the answer, but the further discussion made Sara sigh. Steve overtook his wife in the entrance to the plane. He saw Sergeant Caines and another soldier arguing with two young men in camouflage dress who were having seats 1A and 1B. "Is there a problem here?", he asked sharply.
The soldier on 1B was already taking a breath, but then his eyes caught on Steve's heavily decorated chest and the Trident. He jumped up. "No, sir. A misunderstanding. Excuse me, sir." He grabbed his backpack and pulled his neighbor with him a few rows back where there were some free seats. Steve turned. Sara stood behind him with clenched teeth and held out the shoulder bag. As he stowed the luggage, the sergeant said goodbye and Sara took the window seat.
"Wouldn't you rather sit outside?"
"No, there's enough space here for me. You have the longer legs."
The silence continued until they took off and reached travel altitude.