THE LOVES OF NATALIE GREENBAUM BOOK II

EXCERPT

 

"Peggy! Are you ready?"

Peggy emerged from her bedroom, dressed, but still sleepy-eyed. It was still dark; the sun would not be up for another hour. "Are we gonna have breakfast?" Peggy asked.

"Once we land, sweetie...Bonnie's friend Leilani will be expecting us." Peggy had never met Leilani or her family.

"I'm hungry!" Peggy complained.

"Go grab a banana, then," Natalie replied. "You know it's not good to go flying on a full stomach."

The first pale light of dawn was just visible in the eastern sky as Natalie and Peggy drove over to Halloran Aviation. They arrived to find Bonnie completing her usual pre-flight inspection of the faithful Stearman biplane she had inherited from her late husband Chuck Snyder, and that had served her so well over the past three years. She waved as mother and daughter drove up in the Pontiac. "Hurry up," she called as Natalie and Peggy got out of the car.

Natalie took Peggy into the office where they changed into flight coveralls (Peggy's flying clothes consisted of a children's skiing outfit that Bonnie had ordered from a Sears-Roebuck catalogue for her birthday a month earlier).

By 6:35 AM, the Stearman, carrying Natalie and Peggy with Bonnie at the controls, was rising into the sky over Oahu and winging its way toward Honolulu...

****

At the same time, Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Ivarsen, skipper of the U.S.S. Odin, arrived on the bridge of his vessel, sipping coffee from a ceramic mug. "What's our position?" he asked the seaman at the helm.

"Fourteen nautical miles due north of Ni'ihau, heading 115 degrees east south-east," the helmsman replied.

Ivarsen nodded. "Steady as she goes," he said.

"Captain?"

Ivarsen turned to the communications officer, Ensign Roberts. "What is it?"

"I'm getting a message from Opana Intercept Center ," the ensign replied. He listened intently to the Morse code. "Large flight of aircraft...approaching Hickham..."

Lt. Commander Ivarsen had been having a feeling all week that something was going to happen. "Is it - ?" he started.

"No sir," replied Ensign Roberts. "They're saying its a flight of Army B-17s from the mainland...nothing we gotta worry about." He turned to his commanding officer. "They're just giving us all a heads up."

"As you were, ensign," Ivarsen replied.

Finishing his coffee, Ivarsen went outside for a cigarette. He gazed out to sea, toward the brightening eastern sky.

A lone bird - a seagull or an albatross - crossed his field of vision. Ivarsen watched for several minutes, marvelling that the creature could glide so far without flapping its wings.

Then, he noticed something strange. Ivarsen had spent most of his life at sea, and knew the habits of seabirds. This creature didn't move through the sky the way a bird would normally fly...

Goddam, he thought, as he realized what the "bird" was.

He hoped he was wrong...

*****

At seven-thirty two AM, Bonnie's Stearman was winging its way over Honolulu. The lights of the city were still on, though the sun was starting to peep over the eastern horizon.

"Isn't that pretty, Peggy?" Natalie asked through the speaker tube.

"Look over there," Bonnie said, motioning toward their neighborhood.

Peggy looked as Bonnie banked the plane. "Is that our house?" she asked.

"Looks like it," Natalie said.

By now, they were close to the military airspace over the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. "I'm going to take us back around Diamond Head, and then we'll head out for the Big Island," Bonnie said.

"About time!" exclaimed Peggy. Her stomach was growling, despite the banana she'd eaten on the way over.

Bonnie flew the aircraft back around the almost perfectly symmetrical volcanic mountain that from the ground and at a distance, looked almost like a fish. They circled the mountain as the sun rose over the Pacific Ocean, throwing out streamers of gold against an orange sky.

Peggy stared, rapt. She'd never seen anything so beautiful...

Then, an aircraft blocked her view.

"Aunt Bonnie, who's that?" There wasn't supposed to be anyone else up in the sky this time of day - was there?

Bonnie looked over to the side. What the...?

They had company.

*****

120 nautical miles to the northwest, Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Ivarsen was giving orders to fire.

The seaman manning the anti-aircraft gun on the upper deck pulled back on the lever that sent a shell hurtling toward the aircraft flying toward the island of Ni'ihau.

Ivarsen had determined that the aircraft was not one of the U.S. Navy - and given its location and failure to answer radio signals, not British or Canadian, either.

The shell found its mark. The plane - which through Ivarsen's binoculars, appeared to be light gray (unlike those of the U.S. or Royal Navy) with markings consisting of solid red circles - staggered and began a sudden descent toward the ocean's surface, trailing smoke.

"Forty-seven degrees to port," Ivarsen ordered the helmsman. "Let's see who we got..."

*****

As an aviator - albeit a civilian one - Bonnie was familiar with every type of aircraft she might encounter over the skies of the Hawaiian Territory.

She had no idea what these were. All she knew is that they were light gray (unlike American naval aircraft, which were blue), had red circles painted on them - and were bristling with guns.

"I've gotta get us out of here!" Bonnie said.

"Mommy, who are they?" Peggy begged, truly frightened. "Are they gonna shoot us?"

"I don't think so, baby..." Natalie tried to assure her daughter.

In fact, the men in those aircraft could care less about the civilian biplane flying in their midst. They were warriors on a mission for one they considered a god...and their orders and target were very specific. In addition, these planes, though heavily armed, were slow, clumsy and designed for a specific purpose - which did not include engaging other aircraft.

Anyway, it was far too late for the civilian pilot to radio a warning...

Suddenly, the squadron of armed aircraft turned, heading toward the harbor.

Bonnie opened the throttle all the way, pulled back on the stick and applied a hard right rudder, barely missing one of the strange planes as she corkscrewed upward...

The armed, light grey planes with the red circles on them descended upon the Naval vessels docked at Ford Island and around the harbor like a swarm of locusts.

As Bonnie swung the Stearman toward the northeast and away from Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, Natalie watched in horror as the explosions started and plumes of black, oily smoke and red flames burst from the battleships, the destroyers and the oil tanks around the Navy base.

As tears began streaming from her eyes, she gave thanks to Wahanneh that Peggy's father was was far out to sea.

*****

Lieutenant Jacob Mishimoto of the Hawaii Territorial Militia had been having an early breakfast with his family before they all left for the local Presbyterian church when the phone rang.

"Mishimotos," said Winifred when she picked up the phone - wondering who would be calling this early on a Sunday morning. His wife looked up with a concerned look on her face. "Jake, it's for you - I think it's Colonel Kanahau."

Jacob took the phone from his wife. "Colonel?"

"We're under attack," the Colonel said. "This is no drill - report to base immediately." With that, Colonel Kanahau hung up.

"Jake, what is it?" Winifred asked worriedly.

"I need to go," Jacob replied, leaving to put on his combat uniform and take up his rifle.

*****

Natalie, sitting in the rearmost seat of the Stearman, could not help but look back at the devastation that was being visited on Honolulu and the naval base as Bonnie guided the aircraft eastward toward Maui and the Big Island. It's finally happening, she thought helplessly. God damn them...god damn them to hell...

"Are we safe now, Aunt Bonnie?" Peggy asked.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to us, sweetie," Bonnie assured her. To Natalie, she asked, "Are you okay back there?"

Natalie didn't say anything for several seconds.

"Nat?"

"I'm not okay," Natalie said, her voice trembling. "I don't think any of us is going to be okay ever again..."

She broke down, sobbing.

*****

Two hours later, Lieutenant Jacob ("Jake") Mishimoto was leading a squad of infantry along a beach on the northern shore of Oahu. Some local residents had reported sightings of Oriental men in strange uniforms carrying sidearms.

Lieutenant Mishimoto's squad came upon them as they crested a dune. Immediately, he and his men shouldered their rifles and aimed. "Put your hands in the air!" Lieutenant Mishimoto ordered.

He gasped. The men looked as if they might have been his relatives. For a moment, he wasn't sure what to do.

Then he noticed the uniforms.

"What are your orders, sir?" asked one of the men under his command - a blond, Nordic-looking boy of nineteen named Weiss.

Private Weiss and his fellow soldiers were looking at their commander. It was hard to know what they were thinking.

"Take them into custody," Lieutenant Mishimoto ordered. To one of the prisoners, he barked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The prisoner simply replied, "Nikai nai!"

Mishimoto asked again, "Namai?"

"Gomen nasai," the prisoner answered nervously.

Mishimoto turned to his men. "Let's take them in for interrogation."

*****

"Bonnie!" Leilani cried as her son Pa'ao drove up in the pickup truck, with the two women and the girl inside.

Bonnie, still shaking, ran to the older Hawaiian woman, throwing her arms around her and breaking down in tears.

Natalie watched as she and Peggy got out of the cab, wishing her own mother were here...

"We heard what happened on the radio! Is it true?" Leilani asked as they walked into the house.

Bonnie nodded. "It's...it's really happening..." and with that, she broke down sobbing. Natalie came up and put her arms around Bonnie as well. They were soon joined by Peggy.

Leilani gathered all three of them - now crying - into her arms. "You three...come in...have something to eat."

Though her little girl had been hungry earlier, Natalie suspected nobody would have much of an appetite that day...

*****

Leilani's daughter-in-law, Kani, served up scrambled eggs, fried potatoes with onion, coconut bread and coffee for breakfast - but nobody was hungry. Instead, everyone listened to the radio as the news came in about the first attack on U.S. soil in almost 130 years...

"...so far, there has been reports of nearly two thousand casualties. Most of them are officers and seamen of the U.S.S. Arizona, which went down after an explosion, taking most of her crew with her..."

Michael, Natalie thought. She looked over at Bonnie.

Her lover was expressionless - but silent tears were falling down her cheeks.

Natalie couldn't help thinking that the first time she'd visited, the family's house had depended on oil lamps and a hand-operated pump for water. Now, the home had a generator for electricity and indoor plumbing - including a complete bathroom with running water toilet and a septic tank.

Pa'ao also drove a much newer truck than the old Chevy she and Bonnie had ridden in during their first visit over a year before.

"I guess this has worked out rather well for you, hasn't it?" Natalie said to Pa'ao.

"What do you mean?" Pa'ao asked.

"I guess now that we're at war, you'll be selling meat and produce to the military like there's no tomorrow," Natalie said.

"Nat," Bonnie said, taking her arm gently.

Natalie shook her hand away. She stood up. "How does it feel, making a whole pile of money while men are dying out there?!?" she screamed.

"Natalie, stop it!" Bonnie snapped.

"My little girl's daddy is out there!" Natalie screamed. "Bonnie's husband is probably dead! My brothers are probably going to die as well! All so you and others can make a goddam fortune!!"

At this, Bonnie stood up and slapped Natalie across the face. "Natalie, stop it - right now!"

Nobody said anything for several seconds. The radio continued to drone on: "...President Roosevelt is planning to address a joint session of Congress tomorrow, where Washington insiders say he will ask for a formal declaration of war against the Japanese Empire..."

"Natalie, nobody wanted this," Leilani said gently. "Why don't you sit down and eat something?"

Natalie looked at the faces around the table. "I - I'm sorry," she said, sitting down.

Bonnie leaned over and kissed Natalie. "I'm sorry, too, babe," she said tearfully.

Pa'ao spoke up: "I'm just doing a job, Natalie...we thought all the buildup was to stop something like this from happening...I thought maybe we were helping to prevent this, somehow..."

It was something Thom had often said when Natalie expressed her fears about another war and hoping it would not happen. It's why we're doin' this job, he'd frequently said.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, sitting back down.

Natalie, Bonnie and Peggy spent the night in the guest room, huddled together. Laying between them, Peggy asked tearfully, "Is Daddy going to be all right?"

Natalie caressed her daughter's red hair. So much like her father, she thought. "He's far out to sea, baby...he's going to be fine," she said softly.

"What about Uncle Mike?" Peggy asked.

At this, Bonnie wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Your Uncle Mike's gonna be okay, sweetie," she said - with far more assurance than she actually felt.

*****

The next day, Natalie, Bonnie, Peggy and Leilani's family gathered around the wireless to listen to President Roosevelt deliver his speech before a joint session of Congress:

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

"The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

"Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

"It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

"Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

"Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

"This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

"Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The People of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

"As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

"But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

"I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the People when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

"Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

"With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our People - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

"I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941 a state of War has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."

That's that, Natalie thought fatalistically.

"What happens now, Mommy?" Peggy asked.

Natalie looked down at the little girl who meant more to her than anything else in the world. She saw the fear in her eyes. Calmly, she replied, "We go on." To Pa'ao, she asked, "Is there a Western Union office anywhere close by?"

Pa'ao nodded. "There's one in Hilo," he replied.

Hilo was almost fifty miles and two hours away. Nonetheless, Natalie said, "Could you take me there? I...I should send my family a telegram...let them know I'm all right."

Pa'ao nodded. "Sure...I can go in an hour or so...is that okay?"

Natalie nodded.

*****

Bonnie flew them home on Tuesday. She sent a radio message to the authorities from the airfield in Kailua Kona, alerting them as to her flight plan and schedule. She took a circuitous route, realizing that the military would be on high alert - and she wanted to avoid seeing what devastation the Japanese had wreaked on the vessels in the harbor and the buildings around the bases.

Nor did she want to expose Natalie or Peggy to such a sight.

After they landed, Natalie asked, "Do you want to come stay with us for awhile?"

Bonnie sighed heavily and put an arm around Natalie's waist. "A little later," she said. "I need to move the plane into the hangar and lock up around here."

Natalie nodded.

Bonnie hugged her close. "I'm sorry I slapped you," she said.

"It's okay, Bon....we're all a little on edge, right now."

Bonnie knelt down and took Peggy in her arms. "I'll see you a little later - okay, sweetie?"

Peggy nodded.

As Natalie and Peggy drove away, Bonnie realized that they never had seen the snow on Mauna Kea.

*****

Snow was the furthest thing from Peggy's mind on the drive home. "Where's Daddy?" she asked.

"Out on patrol, baby," Natalie assured her. "He's out there watching out for us." For all Natalie knew, Thom might be dead. She didn't want to think about it.

In fact, she didn't want to think about any of it - but it was impossible to avoid it, as she had to pass through several military checkpoints before she and Peggy finally arrived at the apartment.

Bonnie arrived in her Ford V8 roadster early that evening, just before sunset - and the ensuing curfew. Natalie cooked them scrambled eggs with green beans and rice, serving it up with iced tea - but again, nobody was very hungry.

A few hours after they had gone to bed, Natalie and Bonnie were awakened by screaming. Natalie bounded out of bed and ran into her daughter's room to find Peggy sobbing. "Baby, what's the matter?" she said, gathering the crying little girl into her arms and rocking her gently.

"They killed us, Mommy! They came out of the sky, they were throwing fire at us - "

"Shhh, shhh baby...it was just a bad dream..."

"Everything okay?"

Natalie looked up to see Bonnie standing there. "They will be," she replied. "I'm going to stay with Peggy for awhile," she added.

Bonnie nodded and returned to Natalie's bed.

Natalie rocked her daughter gently for a few minutes.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Would you sing to me?"

Natalie smiled. Softly, she began singing Peggy's favorite - one that had been her own favorite when she had been a small child...

"On the level, you're a little devil, but I'll soon make an angel of you..."

Natalie finally managed to doze off, holding her sleeping child when the phone rang, waking her with a start.

"Mommy...?" Peggy said sleepily.

"You go back to sleep, sweet one," Natalie said, rising from the bed and pulling her robe around her.

The phone continued to ring as Natalie went into the front room. The wall clock gave the time as ten minutes to six. Who would be calling at this hour? She thought as she picked up the earpiece. "Yes?" she said, drowsily.

"Long distance for Mr. or Mrs. Ivarsen," said an operator.

"This is Mrs. Ivarsen," Natalie replied.

"I have your party on the line," she heard the operator say.

"Nattie?" said a familiar, distant voice.

"Momma?"

"Praise Wahanneh you're all right!" Emmaline said. "We've been trying to get through since Sunday!"

"I sent you a telegram," Natalie replied. "Didn't you get it?"

"Everything's gone crazy around here...people are frightened, the telephones are jammed - and I imagine Western Union has its hands full," Emmaline said. "They - didn't drop bombs on the city, did they? Did you or any civilians get hurt?"

"They just bombed the Navy ships and the bases," Natalie explained.

"Dear heavens - how's Tommy?"

"He was out to sea when it happened," Natalie said...

*****

At that moment, the U.S.S. Odin was just sailing into port. Lt. Commander Ivarsen stood on the bridge, grimly surveying the devastation. Every capital ship - the Oklahoma, the Nevada, the California, the Utahas well as a destroyer, a minelayer and two cruisers - had suffered damage. Many lay low in the water or had capsized.

Slowly, the Odin passed by the hulk of Thom's former ship - the U.S.S. Arizona. All that was visible was the top of her superstructure and the remains of her forward tripod mast, which had collapsed into a pile of scrap iron.

Smoke was still rising from the wreck.

Michael, Thom thought. His face betrayed none of the emotion he felt at that moment - not only for the loss of his lover, but for all of his comrades who now lay dead at the bottom of the harbor.

"Skipper?"

"Yes, ensign?"

"We're getting a message - the harbormaster wants us to come to a stop and wait for a tug."

"Full stop, then," Thom ordered.

The helmsman pulled back on the telegraph, informing the engine room to disengage the propellers. The aging destroyer slowed, gradually coming to a stop four hundred yards out.

A civilian tugboat, commandeered by CINCPAC, approached them.

*****

School had been canceled for the week, so Peggy remained home with Natalie and Bonnie that day. Natalie called the Mishimotos to find out how they were doing, and was surprised to learn that Jake and his squad had actually captured a small number of enemy sailors - who had managed to escape their sinking sub and swim ashore after a destroyer torpedoed the craft.

Despite the fact that Jake was an officer in the Hawaii Territorial Militia, Winnie and the children were laying low. After all, though they were American citizens and the Mishimotos had lived in Hawaii for three generations and more, they still looked like the enemy.

"Winnie, if you need anything - " Natalie started as she spoke with her neighbor on the phone a day later.

"We'll let you know, Natalie," Winifred replied. There was a pause. "Thank you...you've been good friends," she said.

"And that isn't going to change," Natalie insisted. "Call or come over if you need to." And with that, she hung up the phone.

Natalie had banned radio news for the past year and a half. Now, news had pre-empted virtually all other programming. Despite the fear and despair she was feeling, Natalie had the radio on as she made lunch. Germany and Italy had both declared war on the United States. The conflict that had been raging for over two years had truly become global - and her country was in the middle of it.

The evening was gloomy and quiet when Natalie asked Bonnie and Peggy if they felt like having supper. She was about to start into the kitchen when the door opened. All three of them looked up to see Thom - and Michael.

"Daddy!" Peggy squealed, running to her father.

Thom picked up his little girl and held her tight. "Hey there, punkin..." tears were in his eyes.

"Mike!" cried Bonnie.

Bonnie's husband and Thom's lover looked a bit the worse for wear - he had a bandage around his forehead, a bruise on his cheek and his forearm was encased in a plaster cast - but he was alive.

Natalie and Bonnie rushed over to the two men and the girl, and the five of them embraced, crying. They stood there for several minutes, just holding each other.

Finally, Natalie turned to Michael. "Don't get me wrong, Mike," she said, putting a hand against his cheek, "but - why are you alive?"

"We thought you were on the Arizona," Bonnie said tearfully, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Thom, who had Peggy in one arm and the other arm around Michael's shoulder, said, "Damned luck of bein' a messenger boy."

Michael nodded. "I was in Admiral Kimmel's office when the Japs showed up," he said. He grew grim. "Captain Van Falkenburgh - he went down with her."

"And almost 1200 more good men," Thom growled.

"But you're both alive and here," Natalie said, smiling through her tears. "And that's worth a celebration."

Natalie had not been to the market in a week - and the shelves were probably bare in any event. Local radio news said cargo vessels from the mainland were due within seventy-two hours, while air cargo shipments would be resuming any day. Commercial fishing boats were already returning to work.

In the meantime, all Natalie had in abundance was bacon and eggs, cheese, rice and some canned greens - as well as a sealed package of smoked salmon her family had sent her several months before from Oregon. She had been saving that for a special occasion - and decided that the safe return of their men was the occasion she'd been waiting for.

The four adults and Peggy had just sat down to their festive supper when they heard a commotion outside, across the street - where the Mishimotos lived.

There was the sound of glass breaking and angry voices yelling.

"What the hell?" asked Thom, rising from his seat.

"Tommy, what's happening?" Natalie asked worriedly.

"That's what I'm going to find out," Thom - still in uniform, as was Michael - said. He disappeared into the bedroom he shared with Natalie and came out a moment later, armed with a Colt .45 M1911 semi-automatic pistol.

He took off the safety.

"Tommy, be careful!" Natalie cried, horrified.

Michael stood up. "You need back-up?"

"Just stay here," Thom said.

As he opened the door, an angry man's voice could be heard: "Come out, ya dirty Jap!"

From the small front porch in front of the apartment, Thom aimed the pistol upward and fired.

The mob, carrying clubs, shovels and axe handles along with flashlights, had gathered in front of the Mishimoto's house. Suddenly, they turned toward Thom. "Tell those lousy Japs to come out and face us!" one man cried.

"Why don't you folks disperse and go home? There's a curfew right now!" Thom yelled back.

Instead, the mob turned back toward the Mishimoto's and started yelling obscenities and epithets, throwing rocks and other objects at the house.

Thom turned. "Natalie, get on the phone and call the base! Tell 'em to get some MPs out here!" With that, he charged across the street. Michael burst out of the apartment a moment later. Thom again fired his pistol. The mob once more quieted and turned toward him. "The next shot's goin' into one of you!" he warned.

"What are you, a stinkin' Jap-lover?" yelled another man, who was fat and soft-looking.

"The only Japs around here are either in a brig or they're layin' at the bottom feedin' the fish," Thom replied. "Now, the bunch o' ya get the hell outta here and go home." He aimed his pistol at a man who appeared to be their ring leader. "NOW!"

Slowly, the mob began to disperse. As they began to slink away, Thom and Michael went up to the Mishimoto's door and knocked. "Jake?" Thom called.

Slowly, the door opened a crack. "Thom?" said Jake Mishimoto. Seeing it was his neighbor, he opened up wider.

He too was in uniform. On his shoulder was the Stars and Stripes, along with a patch identifying his militia unit.

Behind him, Winifred, Sherman and Darla were standing, clearly frightened.

"Come on out," Thom said, offering his hand.

Jake nervously stepped out onto the stoop. At that, Thom turned to those slowly walking away, calling after them: "And by the way - those Japs sittin' in a prison cell right now? This man helped put 'em there!"

As a few stragglers turned to look, Thom turned back to Jake - and saluted. "Good work, Lieutenant," he said.

Jake nodded and returned Thom's salute. "Just doing the job I signed up for," he replied.

Thom put a hand on Jake's shoulder. "You, Winnie and the kids wanna come over?" Thom asked. With a grin, he added, "I might have a bottle or two of sake still put away somewhere."

"Actually...I prefer scotch," Jake replied with a grin of his own.

Thom nodded. "I think we can manage that," he said.

A few minutes later, Thom, Michael and the Mishimoto family returned to the Ivarsen-Greenbaum apartment to a very relieved trio of ladies - and the nine of them were soon laughing and talking over a meal of Pacific Northwest smoked salmon and Japanese-style sushi made with fish caught of the coast of Maui.

The lights may have been going out all over the world - but that night at least, in a small apartment in Honolulu, they burned brightly and merrily.