He doesn’t deserve this after all he’s been through.”
Chris looked at Kenny, “What do you mean?”
“I learned from one of his old neighbors that when he was ten years old he watched his older brother shot and beheaded by the Communists. When we landed to free the Island, the Regime took his wife as one of the hostages and killed her when we charged the building. He’s suffered enough for one lifetime.”
“How do you know this?”
“My family and I went to Cuba recently and I went to his old neighborhood and inquired about his wife. Arvolo insists that he’s afraid she will call him one day. A neighbor that knew them took me to a cemetery and showed me Maria Arvolo’s grave. He told me about what had happened. He said they tried to tell Arvolo she was dead but he refused to listen and insisted she would call him when she needed him. That is where he first acquired the Crazy Cuban tag. He doesn’t deserve this.”
Dolly stared at Kenny and saw the deep feelings he had for his friend, “There are some things you don’t know about Captain Arvolo that you should know before you have us honor your request.”
Kenny stared at Dolly and said, “What things?”
She told him.
* * *
Arvolo waited in his cell and saw an orderly open the cell door and hand him a full dress Naval Uniform. “Please put this on.”
Arvolo sighed, “And so it begins. The court-martial must be today. He dressed and waited. He heard the key in the cell door and looked up and saw Kenny in a full dress Alpha Uniform, “It’s time to go, RV.”
Arvolo stood and smiled, “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Arvolo stood and put his hands behind his back. “I will not put you in cuffs.” Arvolo smiled and nodded his thanks.
Arvolo followed Kenny out into the hall of the huge building and walked beside him. He looked over at Kenny’s medals and said, “You were in Saudi Arabia?”
Kenny nodded, “We were only able to save the Royal Family and embassy staff before the nuke hit.”
Arvolo looked closer, “Tehran, Egypt, and Moscow as well.”
“I was busy as a youth.”
Arvolo glanced at Kenny as they continued to walk and knew those medals were the highest award given after those conflicts. Kenny was even more impressive that he thought. He stood straighter and raised his chin. It was time for him to be brave. They approached a huge door and two Alpha Agents opened the door and saluted. Kenny walked through followed by Arvolo, “You didn’t return their salute.”
“It wasn’t for me.”
Arvolo looked around and didn’t see anyone else. They moved into a massive auditorium and thousands of people stood and started clapping. Arvolo smiled and knew Kenny deserved their applause. He was a real hero. He looked ahead and saw all of the Fleet’s Admirals were lined up on the stage. He also saw Admiral Garcia’s blonde-haired wife beside him. There was Admiral Connor and his wife. He wondered why they needed such high ranking officers at a lowly Captain’s court-marshal. The crowd continued to clap and eight Marines fell in behind them. Arvolo immediately recognized them as the ones he had fought in the bar. Oh, no, witnesses. Kenny looked over and whispered, “Shoulders back.”
Arvolo stood straighter and Kenny stopped directly in front of the huge stage and went to attention. Arvolo joined him and then wondered why so many people were present. Then he looked up at the stage and saw President Suh step up to the podium. “What the…”
The huge crowd became silent and President Suh looked down at the two standing in front of the stage. “We don’t do this very often and it’s not because we don’t have those that are deserving of this moment. It’s just that the requirements for it to happen are so hard to achieve. Bravery is not enough; it’s the results of that bravery that makes one qualified.” Suh looked at Arvolo, “Captain Arvolo, it with a profoundly grateful
Chris looked at Kenny, “What do you mean?”
“I learned from one of his old neighbors that when he was ten years old he watched his older brother shot and beheaded by the Communists. When we landed to free the Island, the Regime took his wife as one of the hostages and killed her when we charged the building. He’s suffered enough for one lifetime.”
“How do you know this?”
“My family and I went to Cuba recently and I went to his old neighborhood and inquired about his wife. Arvolo insists that he’s afraid she will call him one day. A neighbor that knew them took me to a cemetery and showed me Maria Arvolo’s grave. He told me about what had happened. He said they tried to tell Arvolo she was dead but he refused to listen and insisted she would call him when she needed him. That is where he first acquired the Crazy Cuban tag. He doesn’t deserve this.”
Dolly stared at Kenny and saw the deep feelings he had for his friend, “There are some things you don’t know about Captain Arvolo that you should know before you have us honor your request.”
Kenny stared at Dolly and said, “What things?”
She told him.
* * *
Arvolo waited in his cell and saw an orderly open the cell door and hand him a full dress Naval Uniform. “Please put this on.”
Arvolo sighed, “And so it begins. The court-martial must be today. He dressed and waited. He heard the key in the cell door and looked up and saw Kenny in a full dress Alpha Uniform, “It’s time to go, RV.”
Arvolo stood and smiled, “I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Arvolo stood and put his hands behind his back. “I will not put you in cuffs.” Arvolo smiled and nodded his thanks.
Arvolo followed Kenny out into the hall of the huge building and walked beside him. He looked over at Kenny’s medals and said, “You were in Saudi Arabia?”
Kenny nodded, “We were only able to save the Royal Family and embassy staff before the nuke hit.”
Arvolo looked closer, “Tehran, Egypt, and Moscow as well.”
“I was busy as a youth.”
Arvolo glanced at Kenny as they continued to walk and knew those medals were the highest award given after those conflicts. Kenny was even more impressive that he thought. He stood straighter and raised his chin. It was time for him to be brave. They approached a huge door and two Alpha Agents opened the door and saluted. Kenny walked through followed by Arvolo, “You didn’t return their salute.”
“It wasn’t for me.”
Arvolo looked around and didn’t see anyone else. They moved into a massive auditorium and thousands of people stood and started clapping. Arvolo smiled and knew Kenny deserved their applause. He was a real hero. He looked ahead and saw all of the Fleet’s Admirals were lined up on the stage. He also saw Admiral Garcia’s blonde-haired wife beside him. There was Admiral Connor and his wife. He wondered why they needed such high ranking officers at a lowly Captain’s court-marshal. The crowd continued to clap and eight Marines fell in behind them. Arvolo immediately recognized them as the ones he had fought in the bar. Oh, no, witnesses. Kenny looked over and whispered, “Shoulders back.”
Arvolo stood straighter and Kenny stopped directly in front of the huge stage and went to attention. Arvolo joined him and then wondered why so many people were present. Then he looked up at the stage and saw President Suh step up to the podium. “What the…”
The huge crowd became silent and President Suh looked down at the two standing in front of the stage. “We don’t do this very often and it’s not because we don’t have those that are deserving of this moment. It’s just that the requirements for it to happen are so hard to achieve. Bravery is not enough; it’s the results of that bravery that makes one qualified.” Suh looked at Arvolo, “Captain Arvolo, it with a profoundly grateful
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