* * * *

Peggy MacHenery, Corporal, Bureau of Seasonal Gratuities, followed her
commanding officer and husband-designate into his office. "Close the
door, Corporal," Winfree said. Peggy did so, and took her chair next to
his desk, the pad open on her knee and her fountain pen at the ready.
"No dictation," Captain Winfree said. "Please forgive me for taking
valuable official time for a personal matter, Corporal; especially
after that little display of tyranny I just put on out there. Peggy,
Major Dampfer has ordered us to hold our wedding here at District
Headquarters. He'll bring in a transport loaded with BSG brass, fly in a
band to give us a send-off with pibrochs and marches and double-flams;
and he'll probably set up an arch of sabers for us to parade through. Do
you mind all this very much, Peggy?"

* * * * *

She snapped her notepad shut. "Daddy will be furious," she said.

"Your dad is already so worked up about your marrying me, a BSG-man,
that a little extra anger won't even show," Winfree said. "I'm convinced
that he's teaching me fencing only in hopes I'll have a fatal accident."

"Nonsense!" Peggy said. She tossed her notebook on the desk and stood to
take Winfree's hand. "Don't make Daddy out a monster, Wes. About the
other thing, the military wedding, I don't care. I'd marry you in a
beer-barrel, if you wanted it that way."

Captain Winfree took the girl's free hand. "Peggy," he said, "you're the
greatest! Now the good news. Major Dampfer has approved my plans for
instituting Birthday Gratuity Quotas in this District. Aren't you glad
for me?"

"Glad?" Peggy demanded, pulling away. "Wes, do you think the consumers
of this District will put up with another invasion of their pocketbooks,
let alone their private sentiments?"

"Peggy, if you're going to gripe every time the Bureau raises the quotas
a notch," Winfree said, "you don't belong in that uniform you're
wearing."

"Want me to take it off?" Peggy challenged, reaching for the top button
of her blouse.

"No, dammit!" Winfree said. "But if you're going to discuss the
propriety of every decision I make, please have the grace to wait till
we're outside District Headquarters to do it."

"Yes, sir; thank you, sir," Peggy said. She saluted. "Is there anything
more you want to chew me out about, sir?"

Winfree saluted back, then growled at himself for the reflex. "Woman,"
he said, "once we're mar