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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781504906715 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 04/18/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 288 |
| File size: | 864 KB |
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Voyager 2
Full Circle
By D.R. Vervalin
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2015 D.R. VervalinAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-0672-2
CHAPTER 1
Present Day, Maui News Office, Kahului, Maui, 8:00 a.m.
Tom Derek, editor-in-chief of Maui News, leaned out his office door. "Hey, Bill, can I see you for a minute?"
Bill Wise looked up from his desk, grabbed a notebook and pen, then headed for Tom's office. Bill, a very emotional man, had earlier sent Tom two drafts of stories he had put together over the weekend. The first was his assignment: a review of Maui retirement communities. The second, however, was a story Bill wrote on his own intuition, the tale of one of the residents he met, a wonderful human interest piece about a voyage around the world. He worried that he might have made a fool of himself submitting such a story, since his editor had not asked for it. He nervously tapped on the doorframe, then stepped hesitantly into the office.
Tom looked up from his desk and waved him in. "Take a seat," Tom said, then glanced back at his computer screen.
Bill slid into one of two chairs in front of Tom's desk and tried to read the expression on his face. His stomach turned in knots, the same feeling he'd had when his eighth grade teacher use to call on him to do an algebra equation on the blackboard.
Tom looked up from the computer and sat back in his chair.
All of the sudden, Bill began to feel nauseous. Did I botch my first assignment? He worried. The assignment had seemed relatively simple, and he feared that maybe he should have put more into it.
"I looked over your piece on the retirement communities," Tom said in a low voice, wearing a look of dissatisfaction. "It was okay. We'll run it after you finalize it."
Wait. Just ... okay? Bill sank even lower in the chair.
"While you covered all the points I wanted, I could tell your heart wasn't in it. I admit that it's not the kind of story that stir's a man's blood, but see if you can breathe a little more soul into it in your final draft. Take the next hour or two and finish it up, then let me take one more look. Also, Bill, next time, give your assignment all you've got, and don't go racing off on another story without completing the one I asked for."
Bill's hands and feet began to sweat.
"Speaking of the second story, though, the one about this old Skiles fella ... Well, that was a damn good story! I love it! In fact, we're gonna feature it in our Sunday edition. You did the right thing following your instincts this time, but remember that your instincts may not always be right. After you finish the piece on the retirement communities, there are two things I want you to do."
"Yes?" Bill said, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "First, finish your report on Skiles. Second, see if he'll tell you the rest of the story. I'm on the edge of my seat, wondering how it all wraps up."
"Really?" Bill said, sitting up in astonishment.
"Yeah, really. Now get outta here ... and, Bill ..."
"Yes?" Bill asked, standing.
"Nice work."
"Thanks, Boss," Bill said, then quickly turned and walked out of the office.
He really couldn't believe his luck, but deep down, he had known all along that the Skiles story was worth it. He floated across the newsroom floor and found himself typing away before he even realized it. He stopped, took a deep breath, collected himself, then tried to concentrate on the retirement story. Within an hour, he had completed the final draft. Tom's enthusiastic comments about his second story were contagious, and it helped breathe new life into the first. Bill felt much better about it as he pushed the send key.
He looked at his screen for a second, then opened his file drawer and pulled a file marked, "Skiles." He placed it on his desk, opened it, and looked down at the telephone number he'd written there. His watch told him it was 11:00 a.m., and he was sure that, with any luck, he could catch Skiles before he left for lunch.
When the phone rang in Bane Skiles's apartment, the old man laid down the book he was reading and wheeled himself over to answer it. "Yeah?" he said, with the phone snug against his ear.
"Mr. Skiles, this is Bill Wise, with Maui News."
"Who?"
"Bill Wise, from the News. Remember me? I was at your birthday party."
Bane paused, then said, "Oh yeah! The newspaper fellow."
"Yes, that's right," Bill replied. "Mr. Skiles, our paper would like to run your story as the Sunday feature. At your party, you mentioned that there was more to the story, so I was wondering if you'd be willing to tell me the rest." Bill held his breath, knowing the old man could easily refuse.
Skiles paused, then finally said, "Sure. How about tomorrow, around 8:00 a.m., in the community center reception hall?"
"Did you say 8:00?" Bill asked.
"Yes."
"Sure. I'll be there."
"Okay. Bring a dozen donuts and a half-gallon container of coffee with cups."
"Will do," Bill excitedly replied, not really thinking about what he was agreeing to. "I'll see you at 8:00 a.m." When he hung up, he did a little happy dance, then stopped and suddenly wondered why the old man had requested so many donuts and so much coffee. "Oh well," he said to himself. "If that's what the old guy wants, that's what the old guy will get! I'm about to do a Sunday feature!"
* * *
Tuesday morning, Bill pulled into a visitor's parking spot at the Kalama Retirement Community. He shut off the car and grabbed the box of donuts, a big jug of coffee, some cups, and sugar and creamer, then carefully slid out of his seat with his arms full. He closed the door with a swing of his hip, then walked toward the front lobby doors. He smiled up at the crystal-blue sky and noticed the colorful flowers about the entrance and the ornate metal columns that supported the large overhang in front of the building. He carefully grabbed the front door handle with his free right hand and pulled hard, then stepped into the lobby. "Hi. I'm Bill Wise, with Maui News," he said to the receptionist. "I'm here to see Mr. Bane Skiles."
"Sure," she answered with a smile. "They're already waiting for you in the reception hall. Please follow me." She stood from her chair and led him down the hall.
They? Bill thought, wondering who he was about to meet, since Skiles hadn't mentioned any guests at their meeting.
The room was large, with off-white walls and red floral wallpaper here and there, true mid-70s décor, a detail Bill had missed on his last visit. Several tables and chairs neatly sat about the room, readied for the next event. In the far corner sat four people, and Bill recognized them at once: old man Skiles, his son David, his daughter June, and Suzanna Baker, the retirement community manager. Bill had taken her out for a quick dinner after the old man's birthday party the week before. That meal had ended on a conformable note, and he'd actually been contemplating calling her for a date. Now, since she was an invited guest, he wished he'd have thought to douse himself with cologne. God knows I can use all the help I can get, he thought, looking at her with a sheepish grin on his face.
"Hi, folks," Bill said as he laid the donuts and coffee on the table next to them. "I wasn't expecting ... everyone."
"Dad called yesterday afternoon and invited us over. Is it all right?" June responded.
"Sure," Bill said, smiling again as he glanced at Suzanna. "And how are you?" he said.
"I'm fine," she replied, returning a grin of her own.
Bill grabbed the chair between Suzanna and June and slid up to the table. "I hope I have fulfilled my end of the bargain," Bill said, looking at Bane and then nodded at the donuts and coffee.
"That depends, young man."
"On what?"
"On whether or not there's a sugar-glazed chocolate donut in that box."
"There are two, in fact," Bill replied as he opened the box. "Who wants coffee?" Bill asked as he began to fill the first cup.
A round of hands went up.
"There's cream and sugar in the box," he said. "Before we begin, let me bring you up to speed. As you might remember, I was here last Monday, doing a piece on the retirement center, when Suzanna introduced me to you. I was intrigued by some of what she told me about your trip around the world, Mr. Skiles. After looking over my notes, I felt it would be a great story for our paper. I wrote it over the weekend and submitted it my editor yesterday. To say he loved it would be an understatement. In fact, he wants to run it as a feature in our Sunday edition."
"You're kidding!" June replied.
"Nope," Bill said. "It will be a big story, not only about the voyage but also covering the war and Hawaii, a Hawaii most of us have never seen. That brings me to why I'm here. If you remember, sir," he said, turning to Bane, "you indicated that there is a second part to the story, and you said you'd tell me about how it all ends."
All eyes turned toward Bane.
The old man took a sip of coffee, then set the cup down. "Sure," he said. "That's why I'm here. I invited my son and daughter because I want them to hear the story one last time, and I invited Suzanna because ... well, I hear you two went out for supper after my birthday party. Being a hopeless romantic, I figured you might as well have a second chance. It seems you can use some help."
The group laughed as Bill blushed and tried to think of a quick comeback. "Thanks, Mr. Skiles. Any help you can give me in that regard is most appreciated."
The table fell silent as everyone picked up a cup of coffee.
Bane pushed away from the table. He wheeled his chair to a window and looked out across the retirement home grounds, toward the blue Pacific. He sat there for a few seconds, closed his eyes, as if gathering his thoughts, then finally began to speak. "Well, it all started before I set sail in '41, really years before that. I guess that's where we should start ..."
* * *
If you were to ask most Americans when World War II started, the great majority would say it was on December 7, 1941, the date when the U.S. was attacked by the Japanese. However, in Europe, the war began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. The Japanese invaded China to begin the second Sino Japanese war on July 7, 1937. The fact is that Pearl Harbor was the culmination, the horrible, collision of both of these wars, when the Japanese military turned its attention from what seemed to be an endless war with China to begin what they believed would be a quick, relatively easy breakout from the colonial stranglehold in the Pacific. In the eyes of the Imperial government, its military, and its business leaders, that powerful hold included not only the European powers but also the United States.
Japan had matured since Commodore Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay in 1853, and as it developed, the Japanese government became aware of the influence other world powers were having on the Chinese mainland and, for that matter, across the Pacific. While these expansions were primarily about developing trade, these countries were also expanding their military power, establishing supply bases throughout the Pacific isles. The bases helped to underline their already expanding control of India and French Indonesia.
Japan has been in fear of foreign invasion since its conception and viewed the Korean Peninsula as strategically as the U.S. views Central America and the Hawaiian Islands. Any intervention of a foreign power into the Korean Peninsula would upset the fragile balance of power. In a series of wars, starting with the first Sino Japanese skirmish in 1894, followed by the Japanese involvement with the colonial powers in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, the Russo-Japanese war in 1904, the invasion of Manchuria in 1931, and finally, the second Sino Japanese war in 1937, Japan secured its venerable east coast by building a first-class navy to protect the homeland from any sea power. The Japanese army looked at the rest of Asia, from China south to Guinea and Borneo and as far east as India, as fertile land for trade and development. By 1941, Japan was convinced of three things: Its army and navy were invincible; the spoils of war were limitless, consisting of gold, silver, precious stones, art, and literature; and finally, the world—or at least the world powers—were oblivious, otherwise occupied in Europe and showing little interest in Asia. If the U.S. Navy, establishing its new Pacific command in Hawaii, could be destroyed or even pushed back, the treasures of the Orient, not to mention future trade and further development of the Japanese Empire, were within their grasp.
CHAPTER 218 January 1941, Tokyo Army Hospital
Lieutenant Hiroshi Ishikawa awoke from his surgery. His eyes focused on the white ceiling and light fixture over his bed. He felt nothing, and all he could hear were muffled, unintelligible noises. On his left, a young nurse in her mid-twenties leaned over and looked at him with great concern. She turned to her left and said something, but he couldn't hear it. He tried to lift his arms, but they were deadweight, still under the effect of anesthesia. Since he could do nothing else, Hiroshi gave in and drifted off to sleep.
"He's coming to again, Doctor," the nurse said, looking across the recovery room.
"Good," Dr. Toahigi said, glancing down at the lieutenant's charts. He tucked the clipboard under his arms and walked to the foot of the bed. "He'll drift in and out for several minutes. When he's awake again, give him some water, then call me. I'll be in my office."
A few minutes later, Hiroshi awoke again. He moved his head from right to left and halted his gaze on the nurse sitting next to him. Finally, his hazy mind began to interpret what he was seeing. He was in a hospital, clean and white, and they were taking good care of him, a far cry from the past week. Or was it two? He struggled to collect his thoughts, then fell asleep again.
CHAPTER 33 June 1941, Imperial Naval Academy, Tokyo, Japan
A warm gentle breeze caressed the parade grounds as four companies of graduating Imperial Naval officers stood at attention. They stood like a field of statues, their white uniforms gleaming in the morning sun as they awaited the address from legendary Fleet Admiral Prince Fushimi Hiroyaus. In the second company, second row, second from the right stood Ensign Ishikawa; he had finally fulfilled the first part of his dream by becoming an officer in His Majesty's navy. It had been four long years since his acceptance into the Academy. His grades in high school and his desire to join the navy were helpful in his appointment, but his father had used his influence with some of the key Academy officers to ensure his acceptance. Since his first day at the Academy, he'd been carefully scrutinized by the staff, more so than any other cadet, and he truly hoped he had pleased them and his family. Because he was graduating in the top 10 percent of his class, he was ready for a choice assignment aboard one of the new Yamato-class battleships, and he was waiting to find out if that wish would also come true. After the ceremony, he would receive his orders. After a two-week leave, he would report for duty, wherever they sent him.
Without moving his head, he swept his eyes across the stands. In the audience sat high-ranking naval officers and the families of the graduating class, including Hiroshi's mother and father, Maiko and Hikaru. He'd only been able to spend brief time with him prior to the ceremony, a formal meeting and not at all what he expected. His father had brought a guest with him, Admiral Kumamoto, and Hiroshi hoped that was a good sign that his dream of assignment to a major ship of the line was about to be fulfilled. Little did Hiroshi know that the admiral and his father would alter his plans, exchanging them for something far more glorious, a far more important role in the Imperial Navy, a chance to help the emperor himself.
After thirty minutes of pomp and ceremony, the Academy commandant stepped up to the microphone. "We are honored today to have a very special guest speaker. You are all aware of how his heroism and leadership transformed our navy from a regional power into the finest sea power in the world. Class of '41, officers of His Majesty's armed forces, ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to present His Majesty, Prince Hiroyasu."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Voyager 2 by D.R. Vervalin. Copyright © 2015 D.R. Vervalin. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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