Good Men

"The good man is the man who, no matter how morally unworthy he has been, is moving to become better." John Dewey

Chapter 10: Cloudless Sulphur

"Harry, what in the…?" Crane began, only to be silenced by a gesture from the admiral.

Hurricane looked between them as if he were seeing them both for the first time, finally understanding something that until that moment had been a mystery. His scowl deepened. He advanced on Nelson, stopping when they were face to face. The admiral didn't drop his eyes or move a muscle, and Crane knew he wouldn't give any ground this time. Instinctively, he shifted closer to the older man. "My son," Hurricane said, "belongs with me." He turned to his men. "Load the gold and wait on the boat. Wind, Storm— you stay."

"If your daughter dies she'll be a martyr to your stubbornness, not to your cause." Nelson regarded him evenly, his expression calm.

"Cloud is a soldier and understood the risks. He wants respect and I give it to him. I've watched you coddle him, trying to undermine my authority, ruining him with your babying…"

Nelson laughed, a humorless snort. "Ruin Cloud? I think you give me too much credit and underestimate her. But I'm guilty of that, too." He watched her struggle to sit up in the back of the truck, her hand clasping her injured hip. "I'm sorry, child. I said you weren't a soldier or a doctor, but that's not true. You're one of the finest examples of both I've ever seen. I'd rather have you beside me in a fight than many men I've known." He smiled at her and was gratified to see a faint smile in return, although it didn't reach her eyes. "She's not helpless or a baby. She's my comrade in arms and I don't abandon wounded soldiers when it's within my power to help them."

"Fine words," Hurricane spat. "Do you think they're sufficient coin to buy my only heir? Do you think I'll give Cloud to the first men who come along and want him? What do I know about you? Maybe you traffic in more than guns!"

"Now wait a minute," Crane said stepping forward, the blood high in his face.

"Lee," Nelson said mildly, "he's a father and it's his right to ask." He turned back to Hurricane. "We're running out of time. Sooner of later someone will realize what happened and sound the alarm. I can't tell you who we are, other than we're no friends of Wilson's and we're sympathetic to your cause. I pulled Cloud to safety when she was shot, took care of her, and returned her to you. She knows me and trusts me. Isn't that enough to convince you of my good intentions?"

"It might be," Hurricane replied, searching Nelson's face, "but I still don't like you. I think you're a hard, arrogant man."

"I've heard those criticisms before and I won't deny them," Nelson said. There was an edge to his voice and Crane knew his patience was wearing thin. "But as long as we're discussing my faults I'll add another to the list, so listen well." He fixed his gaze on the rebel leader and there was lightening in his eyes. "I like to get my own way and I intend to have it. You can order Wind to rearrange my face, or drive nails through my hands, or whatever it is you do when you have one of your tantrums, but it won't change a thing. If I say I'm taking Cloud, then that's what will happen and nothing will prevent it!"

Hurricane's swing was fast, but not too fast for Nelson. Their forearms connected solidly as the admiral blocked the blow and pushed his opponent away. He drew back to throw his own punch in retaliation as Storm, Wind, and Crane surged forward.

"Stop it, both of you!" Cloud swung down out of the truck and hobbled towards them, her face alight with fury. "Look at yourselves! You're like two dogs fighting over a bone! Why don't you ask me what I want? Is this what it means to be a woman?" She threw the words at her father, who looked shocked that she would raise her voice to him. Cloud whirled on Harry. "Is this what it means to be a child?"

Nelson had the good sense to look suitably chagrined, but Hurricane was undeterred. "What is it you want, then? To go to America and be an average girl, chewing bubble gum and going on dates with thick-skulled boys while your people die? You'd trade all your valor for that?"

"No!" Cloud's face was a mask of anguish and frustration. "That's not what I want! You raised me to be your son, but I'm not your son and never was! I want to find out who I really am, to go to school and learn more about the world. Maybe I'll be a doctor—I don't know! Maybe I'll be a scientist or study government." Her expression softened. "Please, try to understand. I want some choice in what my life will be."

Hurricane stood silently, unwilling or unable to reply. Nelson spoke quietly into the void between them. "I'm not attempting to steal Cloud. I only want to give her the opportunity to grow in peace and safety. She'll stay with my sister. Cloud is reaching the age when she needs a woman's guidance. She'll come back someday, I'm sure, and accomplish great things for her country."

"It's too late for me to stop you." Tears glistened in Hurricane's eyes. "You've already stolen my son's soul. Even if he stays and survives, he'll be a ghost wandering the forest in sorrow. His thoughts have crossed the sea and his body won't rest until it follows." He sighed heavily. "Can you really heal Cloud's wound?"

"Yes," Nelson said confidently. "Crane and I work with a fine doctor who has access to the best equipment and supplies."

"Then hurry and go to him." The rebel leader took a last look at his child. "I don't know you." Then he turned to Nelson. "I should be grateful, but I hate you anyway. You've killed my son."

The admiral's expression was unapologetic. "He had to die."

X X X

The little boat skimmed across the waves as Kowalski gave it full throttle, but Cloud didn't notice. She buried her face in Nelson's chest and cried until she had no more tears. Finally, when she felt the lightness of her own emptiness, she raised her head and looked around.

Gray dawn was breaking and the sea was high with the morning breeze. She glanced fearfully at the swells, then at Nelson's face. There was no worry or weariness written there, only a quiet joy she'd never seen before. Then Cloud understood: he was in his element on the sea. He looked confident and strong, like a man who has faced uncounted hardships in an alien land and is finally coming home. He smiled down at her with compassion, his eyes gentle, and kissed her forehead. "You're burning up, child, but you'll be all right. It won't be much longer."

"We've got company," Crane said, looking back towards shore though a pair of binoculars. "Four boats, I think."

Cloud struggled up in Nelson's lap to look behind, but it was still too dark for her to see anything. "You don't sound very upset!"

"I'm not," Crane smiled. "They're too far away. They'll never catch us."

"Where's your boat?" She cast around wildly, but the sea was empty. "They'll shoot us all!"

"No, they won't," Kowalski said. "We've almost reached the rendezvous coordinates and Mr. Morton's sure to be waiting."

Cloud shivered and Nelson frowned, shrugging out of his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders. "Are you cold?"

"Yes."

"Frightened?"

"Very. Are you sure your doctor can help me?"

Nelson nodded. "Dr. Jamieson does excellent work. He'll probably remove the stitches I put in and sew you up properly, then keep you in sickbay for a few days until the infection is gone."

"Sickbay?"

"It's where you stay when you're hurt," Kowalski explained. "They take care of you and feed you Jello and stuff."

"Jello?" Cloud looked at him quizzically.

"Yeah. It's this wobbly, fruity goo. You'll like it—most kids do." Before Cloud had time to reply to this bizarre pronouncement, he continued, "Look, you see—there's Mr. Morton now!"

The ocean in front of them began to boil and froth. Kowalski cut back on the engine and they bobbed in the waves and waited as Seaview surfaced before them, water streaming off her silver sides. Cloud's arms tightened around Nelson and she drew closer to him, eyes wide. "That's your boat?" she asked Crane.

"Yes and no," Lee said. "I'm Seaview's captain, but she belongs to Harry—Admiral Harriman Nelson." He smiled as Cloud looked at Nelson in astonishment.

"You're an admiral?"

"Retired," Nelson said. "Mostly I'm a scientist." Cloud nodded absently, her eyes glued to Seaview. "You don't seem surprised."

"I figured something like that."

"You did?"

The ghost of a smile played on her lips. "It was obvious."

"Well," Nelson said, amused to hear his own words thrown back at him, "I'm glad you feel well enough to be insolent again. That's a good sign for your recovery!"

"When you're on Seaview, though," Crane said seriously, "you must be more respectful to the admiral and me, as well as to the crew. Pat and Ski will help you, so do what they say. Otherwise, you'll find yourself confined to sickbay for the duration of the voyage. Understand?"

Cloud nodded, her eyes still on the submarine. She could see men on deck now. Kowalski approached slowly and Patterson caught the line thrown down to them.

Chip had come out to meet them himself and the captain greeted him with a jaunty wave. Morton managed to look relieved and put-out at the same time, which Crane considered something of an accomplishment. "Permission to come aboard?" Lee took the proffered hand and swung across, relishing the feel of the familiar deck beneath his feet.

"Where have you been for three days?" Morton demanded. His quick, critical eyes studied the fading bruises on the captain's face. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, but the admiral could probably use some help with his daughter. She's wounded."

"What in the…?" Chip exclaimed, his usual sang-froid abandoning him. He recovered quickly, though, and by the time Kowalski lifted Cloud up to him, he was able to say with perfect politeness, "Welcome aboard the SSRN Seaview, Miss Nelson."

Cloud looked at Morton suspiciously, but the pale eyes that met hers held nothing except gentle concern. She relaxed in his arms, resting her burning forehead against his throat. "Take her to Jamie as quickly as you can," she heard Harry say. Then she knew no more.

X X X

"Edith will meet us in Washington at the end of the week," Nelson said to Crane as they walked down the corridor to sickbay. After leaving the Caribbean, Nelson had set a course for the naval base at Norfolk, Virginia. They'd reached it the previous afternoon and Crane was allowing the crew to rest while they took on supplies before beginning the trip back to the Pacific. "I'll go with Cloud in the FS-1, if she's well enough. Would you like to come with us? We need to deliver the film you shot and I have appointments with Immigration and the State Department about Cloud's status." He smiled wanly. "You have no idea how hard it is to become the legal guardian of an undocumented child you stole from an unfriendly nation!"

"I can imagine, but if anyone can pull it off, you will!"

"I put in few calls and she's already been granted political asylum. I wouldn't even have brought the boat into port if there'd been a chance she'd be shipped back to Wilson!" Nelson shook his head. "That was fairly easy. Now comes the river of red tape. The immigration and child welfare agencies in DC want to meet with me and Edith, and also interview Cloud alone to make sure this is really what she wants."

"Surely you're not worried about what she'll say?"

"No, Cloud wants to be here. I'm not worried about it. It's just a difficult process for her and she's still so weak. I wish we could cruise around for a couple of weeks until she's better, but that's not practical."

"You wish you had more time with her," Crane said gently.

"Yes, that too. Still," Nelson brightened, "we have a few days." They walked in silence for a moment, then he said, "It's hard to explain how quickly you become close to someone when you share a difficult experience. Alone in the jungle, facing death together, a few days become years. I know that sounds strange."

"No, I understand. Do you remember my first cruise on the Nautilus, when we had that malfunction in the engine room? You and I were trapped in there for what—four or five hours?— and when we came out it was like we'd known each other all our lives."

They reached sickbay and looked in cautiously before entering, loath to wake Cloud if she was asleep. They needn't have bothered, though. Cloud was comfortably propped up, hugging a large plush shark while Kowalski read aloud. "That's an unusual friendship," Nelson said quietly.

"Not really. Ski's a good companion for her. He understands her frustration and determination." Crane sauntered into the cabin, noticing how Cloud's face lit up when she saw Nelson with him.

"How's my girl?" The admiral gave her a brisk hug and sat down near her feet. "Excuse me," he said to the stuffed shark, moving it to the side. "You're a fine fellow! Where did you come from?"

Kowalski reddened. "I went on shore today for a few things and picked him up. I thought, you know, maybe Cloud's never had one before."

"I haven't," she said. She hugged the toy close to her clean, smooth cheek, and Nelson suddenly saw her in the jungle in filthy camouflage, leaning painfully on the rifle she'd just used to kill four men. "Harry," she sat up in concern, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, pulling her close, his voice hoarse. "Absolutely nothing's wrong."