Teresa's Christmas Finale Ch. 03

"So you're stating that you did not order Captain Croyle to not go into Ward Harvester, with or without your permission?" asked Mr. Silas.

"That is correct." I stated.

"Okay, let me ask you this, Commander." said Finneran. "Why didn't you have Captain Croyle remain at Police Headquarters."

"Because I told her to take charge of the SpecOps people and deploy them west of Ward Harvester." I said.

"I guess I'm not making myself clear in my line of inquiry." said Finneran. "I know that I have on repeated occasions stated my disagreement with you that Captain Croyle is being deployed in the front lines. I know that several Council Members have also expressed reservations about it. So Commander, did you not consider our concerns when deploying Captain Croyle to the field?"

"No, I did not consider them." I said.

"And why not?" snarled Finneran.

"Because I consider your opinion to be of no value, Mr. Finneran." I stated with alacrity. "My own counsel will I keep when making decisions regarding the Town & County Police Force... which is my job and not yours, by the way."

"So you're sitting there telling me you do not respect my opinion, nor the Council's?" snarled Finneran.

"First of all," I said, "I do not accept your premise that your views are the same as the entire Council's, nor their official opinion. Second, yes... I am telling you that I do not respect your opinion, Mr. Finneran, and I will not consider it at any time while I'm doing my job of commanding the Town & County Police Force."

"Okay, I think we're clear on that." said Mr. Silas. "Let's call our next witness, which is Captain Ross."

Finneran started in on her: "Did Commander Troy lie when he said he did not order Captain Croyle to not enter Ward Harvester without permission?"

"I'm not going to waste time on this." said Cindy. "Supervisor Milton, would you please play the video that was placed into evidence?" Myron got up. Finneran objected, but Silas was having none of it, and told Myron to proceed.

The video came up, and it showed me telling Teresa to deploy the SpecOps. My own words, at the time. And those words were devastating to Finneran's assault on my integrity.

"So as you can see," said Cindy, "Commander Troy's words at the time are what he testified to today, and you owe him an apology, Mr. Finneran."

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I apologize to him." snarled Finneran. At that time the Captain Union's Rep demanded Finneran be recused. Silas declined to do that, but warned Finneran. And we had some legal groundwork laid.

Last, Teresa was not brought to the stand, but was interrogated from her chair. Finneran asked just one question: "Captain, did you disobey your commanding officer's orders and entered Ward Harvester without his permission?" Teresa stood up in the silence and said:

"It does not matter."

There were murmurs in the audience, then Teresa went on: "I'll explain that. What you decide in your political charades is unimportant. What matters is that my fiancé Todd Burke and my best friend Cindy Ross will not have to wake up next year remembering Christmas Eve as the day their cousin died." There were murmurs in the room. Cindy's eyes were just a bit too wide for her face.

Teresa went on, and I saw her lip quivering as she said "And Commander Donald Troy... the kindest, wisest, and bravest man I have ever known... will not have to wake up next Christmas Eve remembering it as the day his daughter died."

How she got the rest out, I don't know, but she then said "But Carole Troy will remember Christmas Eve... as the day her father did not abandon her, but came and got her out of that black hole in the moment she most needed him. That is all that matters to me, and what you decide is irrelevant, and unimportant."

Well over half the audience stood up and began applauding Teresa's statement. She just stood there, numb. I stood up with Cindy, Todd, and the rest of them to applaud, but soon realized that taking Teresa into my arms and hugging her was the right thing to do. She clung to me in return. Only a few of us in that room knew the true measure of what it took for Teresa to say those words, expiating the demons of her life... and it was the measure of her that led her to put it all on the line to rescue a four-year-old child from otherwise certain death.

Mr. Silas banged his gavel repeatedly until order was restored. "I can see two things here." he said. "First, Captain Croyle's courage is beyond question. And second, this is a Police Force forged in strong links of loyalty and brotherhood, or sisterhood as the case may be, and we are lucky to have them serving our Citizens. This hearing is adjourned."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7:30pm, Tuesday, January 16th. The Town & County Council convened in Executive Session.

"The Board of Inquiry sent it's final report an hour ago." said the Mayor. "No surprise that it is 2-1 in favor of Captain Croyle's actions being legitimate, and Commander Troy's actions being correct, as well."

"I'll tell you right now," said Kelly Carnes, who no longer had ally Thomas P. Cook on the Council with her, "that I agree with Commissioner Finneran's very strong dissent. I believe Captain Croyle acted improperly and disobeyed orders, however brave she was and however successful her mission was. And Commander Troy's actions were beyond inexcusable."

"You would think that." said Dagmar Schoen. "The ironic thing is that if you had children, Mrs. Carnes, and it had been your child in that warehouse... Captain Croyle and Commander Troy would've done the same things to save him or her."

"If memory serves me correctly," said Edward Steele, "Commander Troy did go into that same warehouse and rescued three children some years ago. And what Captain Croyle did... I... I just don't have words..."

"Six Purple Orders." said Carnes. "They had to force Joe Smedley to retire when he got his sixth. Are we going to have to do the same for Croyle?"

"Captain Croyle is a leader." said John Colby. "She should be leading. But also... her Officers are going to do what Commander Troy's did for him... they're not going to let either of them lead with their noses."

"Which got now-Captain Ross almost killed." said Malinda Adams. "I see Ms. Carnes's point... when does it stop?"

"When the criminals stop." said Edward Steele. "Look, folks, Police work is dangerous. We're lucky to have some very brave and capable Police Officers in this County. In this case, it happened that Captain Croyle was in a unique position to remember that pit being there, and being physically capable of getting into that Ring of Fire and getting Carole out and into that pit in time."

"People," said Reginald B.F. Lewis, "why are we even wasting time talking about this? Every one of us was glued to our televisions watching what those very brave people did... Captain Croyle, Commander Troy, the whole rescue team..."

Part 23 - Loyalty Rewarded

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, January 25th. "Fox Two News has learned that Prince Ogaki, a cousin of the Japanese Emperor, will visit the City Buddhist Monastery this weekend!"

Bettina: "The Japanese delegation that includes the Prime Minister is in Washington for important economic talks. Prince Ogaki, representing the Chrysanthemum Throne, has expressed a desire to visit the City Monastery, which has been in service for over 150 years. The Monks of the Monastery are ready to welcome the Prince of the Seventh Rank, and security will be tight, including putting a tarp over the open space over the garden in the center of the Temple."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Saturday, January 27th. As the Press fawningly covered the arrival of Prince Ogaki at the Buddhist Temple, where he would be staying overnight, Teresa and I went to the Federal Building, and to the office of Jack Muscone.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked. "Not that I'm not glad to see you."

"Just checking in." I said. "And if the Press happen to see us, they'll think we came to see you."

"Instead of being received by Prince Ogaki at the Temple?" asked Jack.

"Not much gets by you." I said, in the form of a quotation.

"Heh. Well, that's understandable." said Jack. "Right now, my people are working on Thomas P. Cook. We think he's dead, and half the FBI thinks you killed him, but no leads."

"I wish I could claim credit for killing that piece of shit." I said. "But I'm not the one." That caused Muscone to peer at me.

"Well, I've got more on my plate than that." Muscone said. "I'm trying to track Red Brookstein, but he's lying low. Maybe he and Cook are hiding out together." I chuckled.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As it grew dark, Teresa and I were picked up by a limousine from Ichimoku Industries. We were driven as part of a convoy to the Buddhist Temple, which was northeast of the City, east of the Airport. Other vehicles in the convoy carried Todd Burke, Teddy Franklin, my wife Laura, and Misaki's people that worked with BOW Enterprises and Ichimoku Industries.

We were taken to small rooms, where clothes were laid out for us. Teresa was given a black kimono with the Clan Troy crests on front and back, and black leggings and a red sash belt. I was given a similar black kimono and leggings. They were silk, and very comfortable. I put my swords in their proper place in my red belt, and I also had a red overmantle vest with wings on the shoulders and two long vestments that tucked into the belt.

When we came to the hall, Takaki Misaki and Todd met us, both wearing swords, and both wearing white kimonos with the blue insignia of four leaves pointing into a circle, blue sash belts, and Misaki was wearing a blue overmantle similar to mine.

We were then ushered by the Buddhist monks to the main indoor audience chamber. I expected to see Prince Ogaki, but the man that was on the raised platform at the end of the room was not the Prince... it was the Emperor of Japan himself!

We all bowed, and Misaki re-introduced me and introduced Teresa. "Ah so!" said the Emperor, "Ms. Croyle, your bravery and sacrifice were astonishing. The Empress and I were most pleased you were able to escape that death trap relatively unharmed."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." said Teresa, bowing, not trying to use Japanese, as any mis-step before the Exalted would be very bad.

One of the Emperor's advisors came to him and said it was time. The Emperor again congratulated us, then he excused himself and left with them, and we retreated down the hall to another small room.

Teresa was invited to a side room, to watch a short film. In it, she watched as the black crowbar she used, and the metal in which it was embedded, was melted down along with other pieces of metal into one block by the Town High metalworkers. Then it was airlifted to Japan, where Yoshindo Yoshihara, Japan's preeminent swordsmith, and his apprentices began work on it. Yoshindo himself did much of the work, unlike my swords that were done mostly by the apprentices.

Teresa watched as that black crowbar was transformed into two of the finest swords in the world. Their handles were wrapped in blue cloth with gold trim, and were beautiful as well as useful. When the film was over, she came into the anteroom.

I had changed the overmantle from the 'soft' one to a heavily starched overmantle, red in color, with ties to connect them over my chest. This was a formal Clan leader overmantle, and I knew Misaki would also be wearing one, in dark blue.

A young man, whose name was Taro, was waiting to lead us into the chamber behind the large wooden door in front of us. He would be carrying a ten-foot-high red banner, with the symbol of Clan Troy at the top.

"Before we go in." I said, taking something out of my kimono's inner pocket. I began wrapping the piece of white cloth around Teresa's waist, tying it off.

"My thousand-stitch-belt!" Teresa exclaimed happily. "You found it!"

"I found it before I found you." I said. "I figured this was the right time to return it. Are you ready to go in?"

"Hai, Sire!" she said. We turned to face the doors, and I nodded to Taro. The monks opened the doors, and we followed Taro and our Clan banner inside.

The outdoor court had a tarp over it. Over a hundred persons, many masked, some with torches, were aligned in semicircular rows facing the platform at the other end. Takaki Misaki and Todd were waiting there, in their white kimonos with blue patterns. Behind the stage was an area sheathed by cloths; the Emperor or perhaps Prince Ogaki was there, giving the seal and mandate of the Chrysanthemum Throne to this ceremony.

Banners of the Takaki clan and the Troy clan encircled the gathering. I knew that Laura was here, somewhere. I also knew that Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart had been invited, and perhaps his daughter was here as well, but I did not see them.

Teresa and I reached the dias and Taro took our banner to one side. We bowed to Misaki, who returned it. Then I came around to my left, Misaki's right, to the edge of the stage, as Teresa stood alone to receive her reward for her courage.

"Teresa-san," Misaki said. "Your actions and your character are of the most noble quality. You are a worthy member of the Troy clan, whose leader believes you are worthy to be a samurai warrior. Do you wish to proceed?"

"Yes, Sire." said Teresa.

"To whom do you swear loyalty?"

"To the United States Constitution." Teresa said. Okay, so I'd told her my answer in advance, and she wisely said the same thing.

"An excellent choice." said Misaki. His daughter Mariko used the diabetes blood tester to prick Teresa's finger, and smeared her blood on five pieces of rice paper. Then Misaki opened a fan and waved it three times with words in Japanese. On the last word, the entire assemblage raised two hands and yelled what was for them a cheer.

Then I presented the box that was handed to me to Misaki. He threw back the silk sheaths inside it to reveal the swords. "Teresa-san," he said, "these swords were created from the crowbar you used, as well as pieces of the Ward Harvester building, at the invitation of the Exalted by Yoshindo Yoshihara and his apprentices. He personally ensured that these swords are the finest that he himself could possibly make. Remember, Teresa-san, that the sword is the soul of the samurai, and that the remnants of Ward Harvester are part of your own soul now."

With that, Misaki presented the short sword, which Teresa put into her sash with help from Mariko. Then he handed her the katana. She turned and, holding the sword over her head, and unsheathed it halfway. Everyone in the room began the two-armed cheer, and yelled over and over and over, in waves around the room, it seemed. Then Teresa sheathed the sword and put it into her sash.

"Come, Don-san. Walk with me." said Misaki. I was stunned; I had just been invited to walk alongside one of the most powerful men in the world, as his equal down the aisle and out of the room. Our two banners preceded us, side-by-side, and Todd and Teresa fell in behind us as we exited, the assembled persons all bowing until we'd cleared the room.

Once outside, I bowed and said "Thank you for that great honor, Misaki-sama."

"Don-san," said Misaki, "for you, it is now 'Misaki-san'." He handed me a scroll. "The Emperor is vastly impressed with your abilities. You are to keep this scroll. It makes you a personal advisor to the Exalted, the same level as myself, the CEO of Ichimoku Industries, and just a few others." I was stunned.

"You should write a note to the Exalted, thanking him." said Misaki. "My daughter Mariko is gifted in the written arts, and will assist you, if you wish."

"I would be honored." I said. With that, I learned how to write a thank-you note to the Emperor of Japan. It was not a thank-you note after a wedding or Christmas. I had to choose my words carefully, and write with flowing beauty and precision. Mariko's help was invaluable.

After we were done, I went up to Teresa and said "May I see 'Ward Harvester'?" Teresa slid the katana partway out of its scabbard. It was an incredible piece of work, literally art in the form of sword steel. And it now had its name.

Some time later, we were all fed. It was not a large feast, but a ceremonial supper with relaxed rules of etiquette. I realized that some high-level people were having meetings, and we were waiting for them as we ate and drank. About an hour later, we were gathered and transported out of the Temple.

Part 24 - Courage Rewarded

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, February 1st, front in front of City Hall, where a platform had been built over the stairs leading to the front portico. There would be a ceremony here this day, as it was Medals and Promotions Day.

"Fox Two News has learned that Captain Teresa Croyle will receive her sixth Purple Order today, making her only the second Town & County Public Servant to receive that many Purple Orders in Town or County history, the other being the late Joe Smedley with both the Police and Fire Departments." said Bettina. "And while there has been no official announcement, it is widely believed that Captain Croyle will be receiving the Medal of Valor today. We do know that several Police and Fire Officers will be receiving awards at today's 1:00pm ceremony here at City Hall."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Okay, here it is." said Cindy Ross, as she opened the box to reveal the Purple Order. It was on a chest drape ribbon, meaning it hung from the uniform shirt, as opposed to the neck ribbon that hung around the neck. Joanne Warner was wearing her Purple Order on its neck ribbon as she and I strained to get a look at the one in the box.

"Wow." I said, seeing the silver oak leaf cluster in the middle of the purple ribbon. "May we never see one of these again."

"Sir," asked Joanne, "since it's just one oak leaf cluster again, shouldn't it be on a neck ribbon?"

"Well," I said, "there is one other reason Captain Croyle will be wearing it on her uniform instead of around her neck."

"Ohhhhh..." Joanne said, understanding.

"And here is that one other reason." Cindy said, opening another box. The Medal of Valor, with its red ribbon and upside-down, well-adorned five-pointed star, was inside, and as always it was an impressive sight to see.

"Are there any promotions today?" asked Joanne.

"There's some pay grade increases." I said. "Morton is being promoted to Sergeant. The Council wanted to wait on Mary until May. She still has to go to Academy Advanced Course, which will occur later this month."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Teresa was sitting in her office, trying to do paperwork, and failing. She felt strangely tense inside. She knew she would be in front of a lot of people today, and though Commander Troy had talked to her about what it was like, she was still nervous.

There was a knock on her door, and Chief Moynahan appeared. "Captain," he said with his gravelly voice, "this Police Chief wanted to say hello to you." Following him in... was the Police Chief of Teresa's hometown... the policewoman that had been there for her the night Alexis had died, and had been helpful as a Police Captain when Teresa had gone home to bury her father. (Author's Note: 'Secrets of Apple Grove'.)

"Well, hi!" exclaimed Teresa. She got up and hugged the woman warmly. They chatted for a few minutes, then Moynahan said "Why don't I show her around while you get ready for the cere-moan-eees."

A minute later Cindy came in. "Those two Police Chiefs are making eyes at each other." the platinum blonde said. "Romance is in the air tonight, if I don't miss my guess."