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“Yes, sir. I can see that now.”

“So what were you pissed off about?”

Hessinger met his eyes for a moment, then averted them, then met them again.

“You really want me to tell you?”

“Yeah, Freddy, I really do.”

And I really do. I didn’t say that to Freddy to make nice.

“My skills are underutilized around here,” Hessinger said.

“Freddy,” Tiny said, “this place would collapse without you. And we all know it.”

“You mean, I am very good at such things as making hotel reservations, getting vehicles and other things from supply depots, et cetera?”

“And getting us paid,” Tiny said. “Don’t forget that.”

“Those are the things a company clerk does. So what you’re saying is that I am a very good company clerk and supply sergeant.”

“Actually, Freddy, I think of you as our adjutant, our administrative officer.”

“Sergeants—and that’s what I am, a pay grade E-4 sergeant—can’t be adjutants or administrative officers.”

“

You’re also a special agent of the CIC,” Cronley argued.

“Nobody here is a bona fide CIC agent,” Hessinger said. “You just kept the badges so you can get away with doing things you shouldn’t be doing.”

Jesus, he’s pissed off because I promoted Tedworth to first sergeant!

Or, that’s part of it.

“Sergeant Hessinger,” Cronley said, “at your earliest convenience, cut a promotion order promoting you to master sergeant.”

“You can’t do that,” Hessinger said.

“Why not? You told me I had the authority to promote Sergeant Tedworth.”

“Sergeant Tedworth was a technical sergeant, pay grade E-6. You had the authority to promote him one grade, to first sergeant pay grade E-7. You can’t skip grades when you promote people. People can be promoted not more than one pay grade at a time, and not more often than once a month.”

“Okay. Problem solved,” Tiny said. “Cut an order today, promoting you to staff sergeant. Then, a month from today, cut another one making you a technical sergeant. And a month after that . . . getting the picture?”

“That would work. Thank you.”

“Happy now, Freddy?” Cronley asked.

“That I will get my overdue promotions, yes, but that does not deal with the basic problem of my being underutilized in the past, and will continue to be underutilized in the DCI.”

“And how, Staff Sergeant Hessinger,” Cronley asked, “would you suggest I deal with that?”

“If you would transfer Sergeant Miller to me—right now I am borrowing him from First Sergeant Tedworth—that would free me to spend more time doing more important things than making hotel reservations and stocking the bar here.”

“Presumably, Captain Dunwiddie, you are aware that Sergeant Hessinger has been borrowing Sergeant Miller from Sergeant Tedworth?” Cronley asked.

Dunwiddie nodded.