U.S. Navy Forces, Philippines, was sending to Shanghai a Consolidated Catalina, a long-range amphibious reconnaissance aircraft, to pick up senior officers of the Yangtze River Patrol and SUBFORCHINA and carry them to Cavite to prepare for the arrival of their vessels.

At the last moment, the colonel learned of this, and prevailed upon his Naval counterpart to make space available for one of his officers.

The colonel did not anticipate any logistical problems when the regiment arrived in the Philippines. The Cavite Navy Base was enormous-capable of supporting the Far East Fleet. It would be able to house and feed two battalions of Marines without difficulty.

But the colonel did want to know how Douglas MacArthur, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army and most recently Marshal of the Philippine Army, intended to employ the 4th Marines. The obvious officer to find that out was his S-2, and Captain Edward Banning was given twenty-two hours' notice to pack his things, make arrangements for the personal property he would necessarily have to leave behind, and be aboard the Catalina when it took off for Manila.

The first thing Captain Ed Banning did when he heard that was get in his Pontiac and drive to the headquarters of the Shanghai Municipal Police Department. He found Sergeant Chatworth there and told him he needed a big favor.

"Like what?" Chatworth asked, suspicious.

"I want to marry a stateless person," Banning said. "To do that, I need a certificate from the Municipal Police stating there is no record of criminal activity."

Chatworth's bushy eyebrows rose.

"Or moral turpitude," Chatworth added.

Banning nodded.

"That isn't all you'll need," he said. "You better figure on two weeks, at least, pulling in all the favors anybody owes you."

Banning looked at his watch.

"I have nineteen hours and thirty minutes," he said.

"What's her name?" Chatworth asked.

When he got back to his apartment, Milla told him she didn't want to marry him: She knew what it would do to his career, and she understood how things were when they'd started, and she didn't want him to marry her out of pity. "I'll be all right," she said finally, obviously not meaning it.

Two hours later, she held his hand tightly during the brief ceremony at the Anglican cathedral, and when she kissed him afterward, her cheeks were wet with tears.

"Sir, I ask permission to discuss a personal matter," Banning, standing at attention, said to the colonel.

"Just as long as you get on that plane, Ed, you have my permission to discuss anything you want with me."

"Sir, I was married this afternoon," Banning said.

"I don't think I want to hear this, Ed," the colonel said.

"Sir, my wife is a stateless person, with a Nansen travel document."

"Jesus Christ, Ed! You know the regulations."

"Yes, sir, I know the regulations."

"I didn't hear a word you said, Captain Banning," the colonel said. "I don't wish to believe that an officer of your rank and experience would deliberately disobey regulations concerning marriage and get married without permission."

"If I asked for permission, sir, it would have been denied."

"Or make a gesture like this, throwing a fine career down the goddamned toilet," the colonel said, angrily. "Jesus Christ!"

Banning didn't reply.

"Do you realize what a spot you've put me on, Ed?" the colonel asked in exasperation.

"I regret any embarrassment this may cause you, sir," Banning said. "I am, of course, prepared to resign my commission."

The colonel stared at him coldly for a long moment.

"It's a good goddamned thing I know you well enough, Captain Banning, to understand that was an offer to pay the price, rather than an attempt to avoid your duty," he said, finally. "Mrs. Banning must be quite a lady."

Again, Banning could think of nothing to reply.

"Sergeant-Major!" the colonel bellowed.

The sergeant-major appeared. The colonel told him to close the door.

"Captain Banning," he said, "was today married to a stateless person. Captain Banning did not have permission to marry."

The sergeant-major looked at Banning in surprise.

"It will therefore be necessary for you, Sergeant-Major, to prepare-suitably back-dated-the application to marry, and whatever other documentation is necessary. That includes, I believe, a letter to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Headquarters, USMC, explaining my reasons for not pulling Captain Banning's security clearance once it came to my attention that he is emotionally involved with a foreign national."

"Aye, aye, sir," the sergeant-major said.

"My reasons are that I believe the Corps cannot at this time afford to lose Captain Banning's services, despite his actions in this matter, and that I believe the disciplinary action I have taken closes the matter."

"The disciplinary action, sir?" the sergeant-major asked.

"You will prepare a letter of reprimand as follows," the colonel said. "Quote. It has come to my attention that you have married without due attention to the applicable regulations. You will consider yourself reprimanded. Unquote."

"Aye, aye, sir," the sergeant-major said.

"Thank you, sir," Banning said.

"If that's all you have on your mind, Captain Banning," the colonel said, "I'm sure you have a number of things to do before you board the aircraft."

Despite the sergeant-major's claims about his busting his butt to get the Consulate to issue Milla a "non-quota, married to an American citizen'' visa, when Banning turned over the keys to his Pontiac to her, he had a strange feeling that he would never see her again.

They both pretended, though, that everything was now coming up roses: She would promptly get her visa. His (now their) furniture and other belongings (including, ultimately, the Pontiac) would be turned in for shipment to the Philippines. If it proved impossible for Milla to get her visa in time for her to ship to the Philippines with the other dependents, she would travel on the first available transportation once the visa was issued.

What was more likely to happen was that his car and household goods were going to be placed in a godown (warehouse) on the docks and more than likely disappear forever. And that when the dependents sailed, Milla would be left behind with no visa.

And he could tell from the look in her eyes that she knew.

On the Catalina he forced Milla and the future from his mind. There was no sense bleeding to death over something he had no control over.

It occurred to him that nice guys, indeed, do finish last.

Macklin, that despicable sonofabitch, had had three weeks to arrange for the shipment of his car and household goods. They had gone on the ship with him. And he was in the States, not headed for the Philippines.

He was, he realized, of two minds about Macklin. On one hand, it was goddamned unfair that the sonofabitch should be safe in the States. On the other hand, if there was to be war, it was better that the sonofabitch should be someplace else.

There was no question in Banning's mind that the officer corps of the United States Marine Corps was about to start earning its pay, and in that case, a slimy sonofabitch like Macklin would do more harm than good.

And finally, before the roar of the engine put him to sleep, his thoughts turned to Corporal "Killer" McCoy. Poor McCoy, hating every minute of it, was probably greasing trucks and keeping his nose clean in Philadelphia, waiting for him to come home from China and arrange for his transfer. McCoy, the poor sonofabitch, was going to have a long wait.