“He figured out he was making a mistake,” I said.

“Or Master Chief Vance had a word with him at the booth,” Kenneth said.

“Either way, it spares Matty an argument in front of his whole class,” I said.

I typed a quick answer: “Understood, Lieutenant.

Arriving 1120 in utilities.

Thank you for the accommodation.”

I hit send and laid the phone on the steel console beside the base radio mic.

“We still need to get the main casing off the beach,” Kenneth said.