“I’m keeping Master Chief Merrick on the speaker schedule,” Principal Thorne said, tapping the silver pen on her blotter.

“We have two full days before the assembly to sort this out.”

Wyler straightened his uniform collar and stepped toward the door.

“I’ll be filing a formal administrative objection with base public affairs before noon.”

“File whatever you have to file, Lieutenant,” I said.

He stopped in the doorway with his hand on the brass handle.

“Inaccurate military claims won’t be allowed on that stage, Master Chief.”

I left the middle school office and drove four miles south to the Maritime Heritage Museum annex at one o’clock.