Chapter 4 - The Admiral's Office
Andrew marched down the long linoleum corridor of the regional headquarters building, pushing past aides until he reached the executive suite of Rear Admiral Richard Vance.
Vance was a battle-hardened veteran who had served alongside Olivia's father in the Persian Gulf.
"Admiral," Andrew said, saluting sharply as he stepped into the office. "Sir, there appears to be an administrative computer glitch affecting my unit's logistics allocation and private vendor clearances."
Admiral Vance did not return the salute. He sat behind his heavy desk, slowly removing his reading glasses, staring at Andrew with cold disgust.
"It is not a glitch, Commander," Admiral Vance said, his voice low and heavy with disappointment. "At 0930 this morning, the Department of the Navy Inspector General received a formal dossier containing eighty pages of unredacted emails, offshore bank transfers, and unauthorized passcodes proving you shared restricted logistics procurement data with Vale Strategic Logistics."
Andrew froze, feeling the blood drain from his face. "Sir, those were preliminary feasibility discussions—"
"You signed off on private commercial subcontracts without secondary oversight, Whitaker," Vance interrupted, standing up to his full height. "And you used naval communication servers to conduct an illicit personal affair on base premises with a civilian contractor under active ethics review."
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"Admiral, please—my promotion board to Captain convenes next month!"
"Your promotion board has been permanently cancelled," Vance stated with absolute finality. "As of ten minutes ago, you are relieved of your command for conduct unbecoming an officer and dereliction of duty. Hand over your badge and sidearm to the Shore Patrol."
