The Vaults of Heaven (AU)

[Poohbah]

04 February 1990
Area 51
Nevada Test Site

Colonel Fury looked at his flight leaders.

"All right, I've read your detailed reports. This is where the metal meets the meat. I need each of you to give me a go/no-go assessment on your flight. Alpha flight?"

Sophie said, "Go!"

"Bravo flight?"

"We are go."

"Charlie flight?"

"Go, boss."

"Delta Flight?"

Chief Warrant Officer Charles Rohr replied, "Delta is go."

"Echo Flight?"

Captain George Young said, "Go, sir."

Fury looked each of his flight leads in the eye in turn, searching for doubt or hesitation. Mantell returned his gaze without flinching, and Fury moved on to Rohr and Young in turn.

"Outstanding, people. All right, we're deploying to Vieques for more training."

* * *

26 February 1990
Vieques Island
Puerto Rico

Mantell felt . . . gross. He'd worked up a sweat on the last assault exercise when he'd been told to drop everything and get over to the HQ tent.

Fury said, "All right, people, we are as good as we're ever going to be. The National Command Authorities just gave us a formal warning order. We are to be ready to execute our operation at any point in the next five weeks."

26 February 1990
Portneuf, Idaho

Roberta ladled up chicken stew and set it on the table. "Dinner is served!"

Helen, Jeanna, and Debs entered the dining room and took seats, Roberta finished tossing the salad and brought it in.

All four women looked at the empty chair.

Finally, Helen said, "The longer the standoff goes on with Cuba, the more worried I get."

Jeanna and Debs nodded.

Roberta folded her hands and bowed her head.

Please, God . . . let Castro back down.

She glanced up and saw everyone--including her agnostic wife--bowed in prayer.

Dinner was unusually quiet.

* * *

04 March 1990
Vieques Island
Puerto Rico

The television was tuned to CNN, covering the arrival of American POWs in San Jose, Costa Rica.

"--and we see American airmen--and women--saluting the flag of their country as they board the Air Force transports that will take them to the United States . . . "

Mantell looked over his flight. Most were like him--relieved. A few were . . . disappointed?

He looked again, and considered his own feelings for a moment.

I can deal with this.

Mantell got up in front of the group.

"All right, people . . . I just need to get this off of my chest. Yeah, Castro blinked. Because he realized he was holding a pair of twos and we have a royal flush. Most of me is glad that our people are coming home. But there's a part of me that's . . . disappointed."

Everyone looked at him, relief and disappointment replaced with curiousity.

"They say there's four phases in team building. There's forming--the team comes together, gets to know each other, and looks at the job before them; maybe they find it a little daunting, beyond what they can do.

"Then there's storming--people push back and forth against each other and their roles, finding each other's strengths and weaknesses.

"Next comes norming, where, having taken measure of themselves and each other, confident in their abilities, they accept ownership of the task and figure out how they're going to do it.

"We've been through those phases. But we didn't make it to the fourth. Performing--doing the deed."

Mantell looked around the tent, meeting eveyone's eyes.

"And I know that if we had received the execute order . . . it would have been glorious. I would have been profoundly honored to have led you men and women into battle, and to victory. Well, now we're getting ready to return home. Many of you will be demobilizing and returning to civilian life; others will be going to another duty assignment, or looking for orders to a particular school or duty station. I, myself, am going to be attending college on the Air Force's dime to take a commission in the Reserves. I want you to know that I will gladly give any of you a letter of recommendation or serve as a reference to help you achieve your goal. I'll leave contact info with the squadron duty officer. It has been a privilege to be your flight leader. Thank you, one and all, for your service. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!"

The entire tent broke into thunderous applause and cheering.

* * *

04 March 1990
Portneuf, ID

Roberta Kreider-Zangas stared at the television coverage, tears filling her eyes.

He's coming home. Alive.

She looked at her wife, and at Jeanna and Debs.

All were crying, and she joined in with them.

She remembered Josh quoting Spider Robinson: Shared pain is lessened, and shared joy is increased. Thus we refute entropy.

Damn straight, Josh.

* * *

23 March 1990
Portneuf, ID

Roberta said, "Hey, ladies, we got a letter from Josh."

Jeanna said, "Well, don't keep us in suspense!"

Roberta opened the letter.

13 March 1990
Williams Air Force Base

Dear Roberta,

Well, it's over. I'm back at WIlliams, and so is the Celica. After sitting in the El Toro storage lot for four years, it needed some work. Just got it out of repair this morning, and the detailer this afternoon. Looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

Right now, I'm finishing up a bunch of paperwork from my just-finished assignment. I start at Idaho State in August. A-1 is screaming at me about my leave balance--I have 135 days on the books, and I have to burn 75 of them by September 30th. Making things even more fun is that Idaho State will be my official place of duty during the school year, so my 75 days has to be expended by August 20th, when I start my frosh orientation. So, I have to be on leave by June 4th. I imagine I will be quite busy between doing paperwork and checking out of the command.

Please thank Jeanna for her kind offer; I gladly accept. The four of you have been loyal friends through the best and worst of times; and I realize I'm going to need all the help I can get in adapting to peacetime.

Michael, Cathy, and the kids are doing well. They bought a house in San Carlos (over on Bell Glade, across from Green Elementary). Looks like they're expecting to stay in San Diego for a while.

Karen is . . . well, she's bravely settling into San Diego real estate sales, and she's already getting a bad taste in her mouth. I'm thinking she should move up to Orange County, they play pretty straight now that all the Disney-related development is done and that El Toro and Tustin ain't going anywhere.

The issues with the house got settled by Cathy while I was out of pocket and Michael was on war patrol. And by "settled" I mean "The insurance company learned that the Dildo of Consequences seldom arrives lubed." Triple damages were invoked, and the estimated assessed value of an intact house, per the County of San Diego Assessor's Office was the basis. So, I've got a nice little nest egg to invest.

More details as to when I show up in Pocatello as they develop.

I love all of you very much. May God bless and keep you all safe and sound.

Love,

Josh

Jeanna looked at Roberta. "You got that mod designed?"

"Yes. No load-bearing walls affected, and I have a civil engineer's inspection report and sign-off. We can put it out for bid. I want a hard date of May 20th so we can get the furnishings in place."

"Make it happen. Sign checks, twist arms. I want his eyes to pop when he gets here."

"Got it."

[Matt Wiser]

And it's over. Until the Anti-Castro Uprising and then the Fall of the Rump USSR... For many, it's going home and rebuilding their lives and communities. For those who have no home to go back to, it's finding a new place to put down roots, or for others in that situation, the military is now home. And those who have decided to make the military a career, it's finding that the peacetime military will be a LOT different than wartime.

[jemhouston]

The future after years of deep black is finally turning a lighter shade of grey.

Well done.

[Wolfman]

Well done, Poohbah.

[Poohbah]

01 June 1990
Williams AFB, AZ

25 MAY 1990
FIRST ENDORSEMENT
From: CC 7TH SPECIAL RECON SQDN
To: CW3 MANTELL JOSHUA J XXX-XX-5150 REGAF
Subj: PCS ORDERS
Ref: (a)
1. Per ref (a), effective 0001 local time 01 June 1990, you are detached from this command.
2. You are authorized 0 days proceed and 78 days delay in reporting to your new duty station, AFROTC DETACHMENT 905 for duty as STUDENT/INSTRUCTIONAL AIDE . . .

Joshua eased the green 1977 liftback Celica--he'd nicknamed it Baby Bullitt when his sister Karen had first bought it, much to her annoyance--out of the parking lot of the 7th SRS and headed to the main gate.

There was a sign posted: "DRIVE SAFELY--SPEED IS LIFE IN ACM, NOT ON THE HIGHWAY--ARRIVE ALIVE!"

He drove out into Phoenix, getting onto State Route 60, then Interstate 17 to Flagstaff, keeping it at 55.

He'd installed a 10-CD changer in the back, and put it on random play.

The Eagles' In the City came up.

Somewhere out on that horizon
Out beyond the neon lights
I know there must be somethin' better
But there's nowhere else in sight . . .

* * *

02 June 1990
Portneuf, ID

Mantell looked at the address and the map again.

OK, I confirmed the address last night, so I guess this is the place.

Mantell rolled forward through the gate and rolled to the covered entryway, parked, and got out.

Roberta had said the house was big. Mantell hadn't quite realized she'd meant "it's a freakin' mansion."

He walked to the front door.

Rang the bell.

The door opened, revealing Roberta in jeans and a UC Irvine Anteaters Football T-shirt ("Undefeated Since 1965").

Her breath caught for an instant, then she threw her arms around him and said, "Welcome home, Josh."

Helen, Jeanna, and Debs dragged them inside, and Josh was embraced in turn by each.

Debs said, "Let us kill the fatted zuchinni!"

Helen said, "I thought it was a fatted calf."

"That, too!"

* * *

Josh Mantell's suite--it was the only way he could describe it--featured an Alaskan King Bed in the bedroom, along with stylistically modern furniture made with old-school craftmanship. The bathroom was rather large but agreeably functional, with a large tub and a separate shower large enough for two or three people.

Josh looked at Roberta, who gave him a smile full of mischief.

The other room was what Roberta called a "man cave," and was set up with a large, functional desk, bookcases (which had his books and wargames in them already), a comfortable couch, a recliner underneath a reading lamp, and a large table that Josh figured was intended for his wargaming, any projects that involved large maps or diagrams, and so on. He noted with approval that Roberta hadn't included a TV set.

He went to the window and saw a view of rolling hills to the west, and the patio area laid out below him.

"It's beautiful, Roberta. You did amazing work."

He was surprised to see her blush. "Thank you."

* * *

Dinner was served out on the patio, looking west toward the sunset. Prime rib, vegetable medley, baked potato, and apple cobbler a la mode for dessert.

After doing the dishes, Jeanna led the way to the downstairs living room, then gestured to Roberta, who pulled a sandwich bag out of her pocket.

In it were four small plastic rods, curved to varying degrees, but Josh could see they'd been identical.

"What are these?"

Roberta said, "Our Nexplanon implants. We got them removed the day after we were all officially out."

Josh thought, And here it is.

Jeanna then said, "Here's the plan. Legally, I'm married to Debs. Roberta's married to Helen. You're our dear friend. But behind closed doors, with each other . . . the four of us will be sister wives, and you will be our beloved husband. Roberta will be the senior wife by virtue of having known you the longest and having the most intimate connection with you. But we've all agreed--you're the man for us. You're the one we've decided will father--and be a father to--our children. We will raise them together. And we will all love you and each other to the very end."

Josh looked at Roberta, who simply took hand and squeezed it.

He then looked at Helen.

"Honey, I'm looking forward to my spur ride."

Roberta shrieked, "Jesus Gawd, Helen, I can't take you ANYWHERE!"

Everyone at the table broke into hysterical laughter.

After the last round of giggles, he looked at Debs, who said, "Josh . . . I love you very much. I am all in on this."

Josh closed his eyes.

Kathy's whisper came. Sireli, you can do this. Don't worry.

Josh nodded, then opened his eyes and held out his hand to Jeanna, who took it. Roberta took Helen's hand, and Jeanna took Debs'; Helen and Debs joined hands.

"Ladies, I promise before God and you that I will love, honor, and cherish each and all of you, in good times and bad, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death us do part, and that I will forsake all others."

Jeanna said, "Amen."

Roberta, Helen, and Debs said, "Amen."

* * *

Josh stepped into the bedroom from the bathroom to find Roberta standing there in a dressing gown.

She said, "Before you ask, Debs and Jeanna said something about wanting to corrupt Helen's morals, and I wished them luck. It's just you and me, darling."

She paused, nervous. Josh waited.

Finally, she said, "And . . . Josh, all of my sexual experience is with women."

"I promise you I will be gentle and loving."

She stepped closer and ran a hand over his chest. "I'm always up for loving, but I might not always be up for gentle, my husband."

She took two steps to the stereo and hit PLAY on the CD player.

Laura Branigan's Imagination came from the speakers, and Josh watched slack-jawed as Roberta began a striptease.

* * *

29 April 1991
Portneuf, ID

Debs was making her way gingerly down the stairs to the breakfast table when she said, "Oh, dear."

Roberta looked up and asked, "What?"

"My water just broke."

* * *

29 April 1991
Pocatello Hospital

Debs giggled as Josh leaped to attention and said, "Good evening, sir."

"Relax!" Colonel Lawrence Holland looked around the room. "All right, so I understand you folks are all unofficially married to Josh."

Roberta said, "Unofficially, it's officially unofficial. I'm next up in about five months."

"I see."

Jeanna said, "We're staggering things along so that we've got at least two women available to help with late pregnancy and newborn kids."

"Don't worry, I'm not judging you so long as Mister Mantell is meeting all of his legal and moral obligations. The man's got the Medal and the Air Force Cross, I'm cutting him some slack. So, this is . . . ?"

Josh said, "Colonel Holland, this is Katherine Melissa Mantell, Kathy for short."

Holland stepped to the bed and bent his head down close to Kathy's. "Hello, Kathy. Welcome. Your Papa is a good man, and we're all going to try to make a better world than it is right now, that sound good to you?"

Kathy gurgled.

Jeanna giggled. "I think she likes you, Colonel."

Holland said, "Which just shows that, just like my wife, she is a lady of refined and discerning taste."

[Poohbah]

The Baby Bullitt:

UE0sPnelpyntPTmbgXSXwiPFhjEnx0ywvT43ltPhbic.jpg

And Roberta's T-shirt:

13102_10153632055965995_2735558761517543326_n.jpg

[Johnnie Lyle]

There is only one UC :p

[jemhouston]

I suspect this arrangement was more common in this AU than in IRL.

[Poohbah]

I suspect this arrangement was more common in this AU than in IRL.

Either that, or there's a LOT of spinsters.

[Wolfman]

I suspect this arrangement was more common in this AU than in IRL.

Either that, or there's a LOT of spinsters.

Either could be potentially graded as correct.

[clancyphile]

I suspect this arrangement was more common in this AU than in IRL.

Would not be surprised. I wonder if it would end up legalized by some point - which makes things very interesting vis-a-vis the Mormons.

[Wolfman]

I suspect this arrangement was more common in this AU than in IRL.

Would not be surprised. I wonder if it would end up legalized by some point - which makes things very interesting vis-a-vis the Mormons.

I think it would be a matter of scale and the fact that everyone involved is well over the age of consent and agreed to the arrangement in the first place.

[Poohbah]

06 June 1992
Portneuf, ID

Josh was sitting in the breakfast nook with Zachary James Mantell, feeding him strained carrots. Roberta was next to him, beaming as her son scarfed down the carrots without protest. Debs was opposite, watching Kathy eat without assistance.

So it fell to Helen, who was dishing up breakfast at the adult table, to notice the subtle shift in Jeanna's expression as she pored over the newspaper.

"Something interesting?"

Jeanna said, "Yeah. Idaho just legalized same-sex partnerships. They also cleaned up marriage law--you must be 18 years of age to get married. Parental consent or emancipated minor status isn't good enough. No more child marriages, which will not make certain flavors of allegedly God-fearing people happy. But the way the reporter wrote this . . . "

Her voice trailed off for a few seconds, then she said, "I'll talk to Don's wife and have her fax over a copy of whatever they passed. It may be nothing. The reporter was probably bushed, and I know the entire statehouse was. That fight over the ad valorem increase was brutal. Says here the final vote on this was a 2:30 this morning, after the ad valorem vote."

Debs said, "Why was it so hard? We really do need the funds."

Josh said, "If you propose a property tax increase, no matter how noble the cause, you're going to be putting seniors out of their homes, especially when the market is super hot like it is now. That's how we got Proposition 13 out in California. Now, I have this crazy idea: the assessor can assess the value, but the county has to take the property and pay out that value, no questions asked, on demand."

Helen said, "Balances the risks. Someone facing an ad valorem foreclosure can just tell the county, 'I can't afford this, best of luck selling it at what you said it's worth.' The politicians will never go for it because that trigger will get pulled when prices drop."

Jeanna chuckled. "Unless the assessor is conservative with the value--keeps it 5-10% or so under market. But even then . . . look, maybe we should be capping rates for retirees on their primary residence. Just recognize that there's only so much blood you can squeeze from a turnip."

Debs chuckled. "We've got five people out-thinking the entire Legislature right here in this kitchen."

Roberta said, "Not that hard, Debs. Remember, a committee is the only form of life known to have six or more legs and no brain."

* * *

Jeanna barged in on Josh playing with Zachary.

"Josh, you got anything going Monday morning?"

"Meeting with a client for my consulting biz, should be done by 9:30 AM. What's up?"

"You're not going to believe this sh-stuff."

Josh laughed.

"I didn't say it. Almost only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and atomic bombs."

"Point taken. So, what's not to believe?"

"The way they wrote it, they didn't limit the number of parties in a marriage. Ménage a troi, a fawh, a mawh, doesn't matter, as long as there's no consanguinity and all are consenting adults. I say we pull the trigger before anyone realizes just how badly this got messed up.

"Hold your horses, dear. Ain't nobody gonna do that."

"And why is that?"

"The governor is running for Senator, remember? He's already looking like a fool for not backing a very righteous Spokane River water rights lawsuit against the feds, just from simple inattention to detail, and Laura Harris is beating him over the head with it. Just imagine the fun Harris will have with the governor not bothering to actually read the bill before signing it. He'd have to call a special session now that they've adjourned for the year, it'll make the fiasco very public, and that's a non-starter."

"Okay, there's that. But I say we strike while the iron is hot, Josh."

"Yes, dear."

* * *

08 June 1992
Bannock County Administration Building
Pocatello, ID

Deputy Kelly Ray stepped out of the Payroll office satisfied that her shift differential problem had been resolved, and blinked when she saw a fellow deputy, Debs McAllister, walking down the hall with three other women--one sporting a baby bump--and a man. One woman was pushing a baby stroller--she was amused to note that the tandem seats were adorned with yellow-and-black striped handholds over their heads.

"Hey, Debs."

"Hi, Kelly! Hey, if you've got a minute, I'm making it official."

"Making what official?"

"Oh, that's right, I never told you. Look, we need another witness, and you're a friend."

* * *

Kelly had laughed herself into abdominal spasms when she heard what the Legislature had done, and had been introduced to Debs' "sister wives" and prospective husband, as well as Kathy and Zack.

Jeanna's attorney, Ms. Gretchen Price, stepped out of the County Clerk's office and said, "Well, that's settled. They're drafting forms that will meet the requirements of the law as written, and as soon as County General Counsel signs off, away we go."

Ten minutes later, after getting declared affirmations of consent from all parties, and completing the paperwork, everyone joined hands, and Justice of the Peace Roy Shepperd stood up, and did a simple ceremony.

"I pronounce you man and wife--well, wives--and hope that you continue to love and bear up with one another. God bless you, and your children."

* * *

13 June 1992
Portneuf, ID

Kelly Ray arrived to find the party in full swing; friends of Josh from Idaho State, business associates of Jeanna's, and a general contractor she knew from the American Legion Post.

Josh was manning the grill, and Roberta was assisting him.

She came over and sat at the bar next to the grill. Josh was wearing an AFROTC Det 905 apron as he grilled burgers.

"So, you were Air Force during the war?"

"Yup. Transferred from the Marine Corps to become a Special Reconnaissance Warrant Officer. Were you Air Force?"

"Uh, yes. I flew F-4Ds, got shot down over Cuba in 1986."

Mantell nodded. "I see. Where'd they keep you?"

"Isle of Pines, before they moved me to Holguin."

Josh smiled. "I was in charge of Charlie Flight in the Buffalo Wings--the 10th Special Reconnaissance Squadron. We were on alert in Vieques, Puerto Rico, waiting for the go code from Philly. Holguin South was my flight's target. Most of the US and Allied Special Operations Community were tasked for POW extract if the invasion had happened. I wonder if that little detail got to Castro's people, and he realized holding the prisoners wasn't going to stop the invasion."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."

* * *

After hearing how awful captivity was--which made Mantell wish the mission had been a go, just so he could've visited some rough justice on the perps--conversation turned to the present.

Helen said, "Kelly, you need to get out there and live. Go out to a club with your dancing shoes on, accept party invitations, find social groups you'd enjoy, and always be on the lookout for that somebody. Or somebodies."

Everyone laughed, and Kelly said, "I'm kind of a one-and-done gal."

Jeanna said, "Not everyone can do what we've done. Still, get out there and live. Not necessarily to find that somebody. Just to enjoy being around other people, and doing things you like doing. Living well is the best revenge."

"Preach it, honey." Josh held up his 7-Up in a toast.

Roberta said, "Amen!"

"This is a pretty small community."

Helen said, "True. Which makes this event we're celebrating even better. We're soaking up all the gossip, so you can get out there and dance the night away without anyone else paying attention."

Jeanna cracked up, and pretty soon everyone was laughing.

* * *

30 June 1992
AFROTC Detachment 905 Office
Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID

Colonel Holland stuck his head out of his office and said, "Chief Mantell, in here, please."

Mantell stepped in, and Holland shut the door.

His expression was grim.

He put his phone on speaker. "Sir, Chief Mantell is here."

It was General Lodge, now the Deputy A-2 for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance on the HQ USAF staff. "Good morning, Chief."

"Good morning, sir."

"Chief . . . you've kicked over a hornet's nest. Idaho's little legislative screwup has reached the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Honorable Mr. Helms is looking mighty soft in the polls, and he wants to drag you to Philadelphia for questioning in front of his committee right before the summer recess, looking into questions of moral turpitude in the armed forces. Yours is the most visible, but he's also looking at same-sex partners, et cetera, and so on, and so forth."

Mantell was silent for a long moment before saying, "I see, sir."

"Sundown has expressed the opinion that he's amazed one man can apparently keep four women happy at the same time, that it's none of Senator Helms' damn business how one of America's greatest heroes lives his life, and that if you wish to be released from the Air Force for the convenience of the government, he's willing to do so. He also says it's your call, and he will support you 100% in whatever you choose to do."

Mantell sighed, then said, "Sir, if the gentleman from North Carolina wants a fight, I'm absolutely willing to give him one."

"Chief, is now a good time? As I understand it, you have another child on the way--"

"Two, sir. Jeanna took a home test this morning."

"OK, you've got two kids on the way. Can you handle that stress right now?"

"If not now, sir, then when? My duty to my wives and children is to protect them, the best defense is a good offense, and I therefore intend to be extremely offensive. If Senator Helms wants a fight, I'll make Billy Sherman's March to the Sea look like a minor spat at a faculty luncheon, sir."

After a moment, General Lodge said, "I'll let Sundown know."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

That evening
Portneuf, ID

Mantell waited until the kids were down, then invited Roberta, Helen, Jeanna, and Debs into his bedroom.

"If you want to know my reasons for fighting this out . . . Mark Twain put it best." He found the passage in The Bible According to Mark Twain and read:

“Each of you, for himself or herself, by himself or herself, and on his or her own responsibility, must speak. It is a solemn and weighty responsibility and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government or politician. Each must decide for himself or herself alone what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn’t. You cannot shirk this and be a man, to decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor. It is traitorous both against yourself and your country.

Let men label you as they may, if you alone of all the nation decide one way, and that way be the right way by your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country, hold up your head for you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

He then looked at his wives and said, "If not now, when? When my children are old enough to hear the insults and taunts? Or when they're old enough to understand the innuendo? We are walking a tightrope as it is, let's not make this any harder than it has to be."

Helen said, "You might not have a career in the Air Force after this."

"November Foxtrot Golf, over. Best I find that out now than in 20 years."

Helen nodded. "Just wanted to make sure you understood that. I'm with you to the bitter end."

He looked at Roberta.

"You know me, darling. Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite. Fight this."

He turned to Jeanna.

She said, "It's none of his business. I've made my choices. I'm married to all of you. I say we ride to ruin, and the world's ending."

He turned to Debs and said, "If you call knock it off, I'll quietly accept a discharge for the convenience of the government."

"And then I'll slap you silly for being a coward. This isn't just us. It's an attack on everything except one man and one woman doing missionary with the lights off, and solely to get pregnant. I say no truce with Bonaparte."

"Thank you."

In bed, he snuggled against Jeanna, one hand on her belly, marveling at the life that was growing there.

[Matt Wiser]

Good one, Poobah.

Don't be surprised if Josh and company wind up going to Philly to testify-Ol' Jesse is furious about how the postwar military looks, and among other things, he tried (and failed) to get the prewar Combat Exclusion Law for Women revived (He didn't read the bill that repealed it in '85, thinking it was just a wartime expedient. There was no such language-when it was signed into Law, President Bush remarked to his Chief of Staff "The Combat Exclusion Law is now dead and buried. If anyone tries to bring it back, I'll veto it, and urge my successor to do the same." But Jesse was stubborn. Any hearings might see Josh meeting Guru and Goalie (who are now dealing with what the peacetime USAF tasks them: namely teaching-Guru AFROTC at UCLA, Goalie as an F-4 instructor WSO at George AFB)

[jemhouston]

Adapt or die, Mr. Helms isn't adapting.

Don't be surprised if Josh meets Sundown. He likes getting into weeds.

Where's Sophie?

[Poohbah]

Adapt or die, Mr. Helms isn't adapting.

Don't be surprised if Josh meets Sundown. He likes getting into weeds.

Where's Sophie?

Sophie is just starting AthenaSoft.

[jemhouston]

Will she try recruiting Josh again?

[Poohbah]

Will she try recruiting Josh again?

Probably.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Will she try recruiting Josh again?

Probably.

He does have a rather large family to support.

[Poohbah]

July 1st, 1992
Portneuf, ID

Joshua Mantell walked into the dining room and said, "Here you go, Helen, you've just been subpoenaed--along with me. Senator Helms didn't waste any time. He wants his hearings immediately. Report in at Senate Armed Services Committee Room at 1000 on the 7th."

Helen handed Josh an email printout and said, "Trade ya. General Brockman at the National Guard Bureau wants me in his office on the 6th at 0730."

The phone rang.

Roberta grabbed it, still stirring ice cubes into the gelatin mold to cool down the mix faster. "Mantell residence."

She held it up. "For you, Josh."

Mantell grabbed walked over and took the phone. "Chief Mantell speaking."

It was Sundown. "Good evening, Chief. I take it you got the subpoena."

"Yes, sir."

"My office, on the 6th, 0730, Combo ones, ribbons only."

"Jump boots or Corfams, sir?"

"Corfams for my office. Save the jump boots for Congress. Spit-shined to a mirror finish, of course."

Josh smiled. "Absolutely, sir."

* * *

About an hour later, Josh was editing a consulting report for a local bank's computer department when Roberta's voice came over the intercom.

"Josh, Sophie Lodge is here."

"Sophie Lodge?"

Josh could practically hear Roberta's eyes rolling. "She married Adam, you dork!"

"Oh! I'll be right down!"

Sophie was in business attire, cheerfully socializing with Roberta, Helen, and Jeanna--Debs was on patrol with the BCSO.

"Hey, Josh! Long time, no see."

"Good of you to visit, Sophie."

They embraced.

"Four wives, though, Josh?"

"It sounded like a good idea at the time."

Sophie chuckled, then lightly punched Josh on the arm. "Hey, I want to pitch something at you. Walk with me?"

* * *

They walked outside, past the big oak in the back yard.

"Well, Josh, I've got an idea--and a job offer. You're a damn good codesmith and you know technology forwards and backwards, all the way back to Doc Sikorsky's computer lab at Patrick Henry. Netscape fired me last week, and I'm going on my own. While I was casting about for a master's thesis project, I hit on an architecture for a firewall system and did a few tests. The beauty on this one is that it scales beautifully. And this idea predates Netscape hiring me, so they have no claim."

"You've got documentation?"

"Discussed it with my thesis advisor via email, and I saved copies with dates. He's got copies, and he can testify it's prior to Netscape hiring me."

"I see. So, why'd you get fired from Netscape?"

"I may or may not have body-slammed an overly handsy venture capital bro. Or three. Bloomberg's running the place like it's a damn frat house."

"I see. You realize the venture capital bros all talk to each other?"

"Yeah. I can do this on my own. Barely. All I need to do is last to DEFCON 93. Might be touch and go at the end."

"Where you basing?"

"Palo Alto, of course." Sophie frowned. "What's bugging you?"

Josh said, "Silicon Valley is expensive as hell, and the only reason to do it there is because of the venture capital bros, who are the folks who make it so expensive, and none of them are going to play ball with you."

"You got a better idea?"

"Move here, especially if you really want me, 'cuz I ain't moving to Silly-Con Valley. You're going to need more coders than just me, and Idaho State's software engineering program is every bit as good as UCSD or BYU, and we're probably breathing down Stanford's neck. And living here--you could buy your house for cash from the equity you get for your place in Palo Alto, have lots of money left over, and your burn rate is going to be about 50% of Silicon Valley. Finally, this place is . . . it's like how San Diego used to be before the city fathers got Los Angeles envy."

Josh watched as Sophie's expression went blank, which told him she was seriously thinking about math.

"Burn rate would be 43%, but what's 7% between friends?" She laughed. "All right, then. I'll be here next month."

"I may or may not be in the Air Force by then."

"So I heard." Sophie paused, then said, "Josh . . . I was involved with cleaning up some of the trafficking in Lost Girls out in Vegas and St. George. I know what someone who's being exploited looks and sounds like. Your wives aren't. And definitely a woman being exploited doesn't become a deputy sheriff. Most of all, I know you. You're a decent, upright human being who knows the difference between right and wrong. I'm backing you no matter what anyone says, or what happens to you in this mess."

"Thanks, Sophie, that means a lot."

They discussed compensation, and Sophie wrote notes. "I'll send you the contract package as soon as I get back, and we'll see if me, Adam, the kids, and our U-Haul beat the U.S. Snail." She held out her hand. "Congratulations, Mister Chief Technology Officer."

"Thank you, Madam Chief Executive Officer and Head Bull Goose Looney of the Greater Portneuf Valley Co-Prosperity Sphere."

They shook hands.