March—

She sits behind a desk in her office at Camp Johnson, staring at a heavily pregnant marine recruit. After scanning her notes of the list of names she feels confident that young woman sitting in front of her is one of the women who has possibly been impregnated by the same man.

"Lieutenant Montgomery how long have you been on this base?"

"Nine months, ma'am," she responds.

"Are you married?"

"No, ma'am."

"Do you live on base?"

"Yes ma'am."

"How far along are you?"

"Eight months, ma'am. I thought that we were here to discuss my case, ma'am."

"Several months ago you were charged with violation of UCMJ article 112."

"Ma'am I did not violate UCMJ article 112. The charges were dropped."

"I noticed a spike in these charges starting with yours."

"I wasn't on duty when I was stopped."

"How long had you been off duty?"

"A few hours."

"Where did you go immediately after getting off duty?"

"I went to a friend's house."

"What do you remember?"

"I didn't drink any alcohol. I had a glass of soda."

"Then what?"

"I didn't feel good, so I started walking home. That is when they picked me up."

"Were you in uniform?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"So they had no way of knowing whether or not you were on duty, just by looking at you?"

"No, they did not."

"What do you remember after that?"

"Waking up in the brig."

"Lieutenant what can you tell me about the conception of your baby?"

"Absolutely nothing. Ma'am why are you investigating charges that go dropped?"

"I am investigating case files. I happened to notice a pattern," Mac explains.

"Ma'am I can't tell you about the conception of this child."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy."

"What about the father?"

"Ma'am I can't tell you anything," she insists.

"When was your child conceived lieutenant?"

She shrugs, "Ma'am I don't know."

Sarah looks at the young woman sitting before her. The lieutenant first class is twenty two years of age. Sarah has poured over her records. The lieutenant graduated college at age twenty. She immediately joined the Marine Corp, and was quickly promoted to lieutenant first class. Her story is not much different from the other young women she has spoken to.

"Lieutenant you're going to have to do better than that."

"Ma'am, I can't."

"Why not, lieutenant?"

"Because I don't remember."

"Your baby's estimated date of conception corresponds with the day that you were picked up for violating article 112 of the UCMJ, doesn't it?"

Tears begin to roll down her cheeks, "Yes, ma'am. Permission to speak freely."

"Permission granted."

"I joined the Marine Corp because I wanted to serve my country. I wanted to serve my country, and see the world. I am twenty two years old. I had little interest in settling down, and having a family at this time. I don't know how I got pregnant, or by whom. All I know is that my future is very uncertain right now. I can't afford uncertainty at this point in my life, ma'am. In a few months I am going to have another human being that I have to take care of. How am I supposed to do that if I am discharged from the Marine Corp?"

"Lieutenant have you spoken to anyone else on base who…"

She cuts her off, "Ma'am I have spoken to several other marines who wound up pregnant in recent months. There stories are all similar to mine. The scuttle is that our babies all have the same father."

"Thank you for your time lieutenant. That will be all."

Once the lieutenant leaves the room Sarah's phone rings. She quickly lifts the receiver to her ear.

"Colonel MacKenzie," she answers.

"How is your investigation going?"

"Sir, I find myself incredibly alarmed. After being here for two months I find that I am not much closer to finding out who is responsible than I was when I got here."

"What have you found out so far?"

"I have reviewed a lot of personnel files."

"Anyone stick out to you?"

"No one in particular."

"But?"

"Sir, I have noticed a pattern."

"What kind of a pattern?"

"Every one of these women is a Marine."

"Obviously."

"They had the characteristics of Marines before they joined the corp."

"How so?"

"Many of them went to Ivy league schools. Several of them ranked top three percent in their graduating class. The physical traits, and cultural backgrounds differ, but there is something very similar about all of them."

"They're overachievers?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good marines?"

"Each and every one of them. They all demonstrated excellent potential for advancement. They are all career driven."

"How many of them admitted to intentionally getting pregnant?"

"None of them."

"How many of them have admitted who the father is?"

"None."

"What is your theory Colonel?"

"Someone wanted them to fail. Whoever did this intended to shake the foundation in which they stand on."

"How many more women have turned up pregnant since you arrived?"

"Seven women after my arrival. No one was impregnated after I arrived."

"How many women in total?"

"Forty."

"What is your assessment of who the responsible party might be?"

"The general consensus around the base is that he is a young marine who wants to prove himself by impregnating as many fellow marines as he can. They are certain that it is a young man who fails to consider the consequences of creating forty eight human lives."

"Forty eight? I thought that you said there were forty women."

"There are a few sets of twins," she reveals.

"Do you agree with the general consensus?"

"No, sir."

"What is your opinion?"

"That it is an older high ranking officer with old school values, and a serious issue with female officers."

"Someone who believes that a woman should be at home taking care of the home, and children, and making meals?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have you rubbed elbows with anyone who fits that bill?"

"A few."

"Have you settled in, Colonel?"

"Yes, sir."

"Keep me in the loop."

"Yes, sir," she agrees. He disconnects.