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six weeks after they’d both been permanently detached from USS Challenger —and were rested now from the rigors of their Germany raid, when Jeffrey was acting captain—he still ran himself with military precision out of sheer habit. He was taking the Prospective Commanding Officers course, and she was going through the Basic Submarine Officers course—though she was technically a civilian, a consultant to the U.S. Navy.
    “I’ll set the alarm for four-thirty,” Ilse said. “Plenty of time to get back to my room before the hallways start to liven up.”
    “Someone might see you. It’s indiscreet.”
    “It’s indiscreet me being here at one in the morning. I have makeup and stuff in my bag. I’ll use your bathroom, and I’ll have my briefcase, right? Anyone who sees me can think I worked the midnight shift.”
    “Clever girl.”
    “I’m not a girl. I’m nearly thirty.” The thought sometimes frightened her.
    “I meant—”
    “You don’t need to apologize.” Ilse knew Jeffrey was no sexist, and she really did care about him. It was just that, well…Jeffrey was a great lion in battle, but taken out of purely military functions-—like here right now—he wasn’t exactly always at his best, socially speaking. He was almost forty, but had spent his entire adult life in navy circles.
    Ilse began to doze off again, with her head on Jeffrey’s forearm. She felt him squeeze her buttocks gently with his other hand. “Enough is enough,” she told him. “It’s very late.”
    She sensed Jeffrey pausing, a pregnant pause in the dark. “Who’s better?” he finally said.
    “What?”
    “Who’s better? Him or me?”
    “What?” Ilse bristled.
    “Ter Horst. What’s he like? Hung like a horse?” Jeffrey sounded amused at his own little joke, but the amusement was forced.
    “Don’t be silly.” And please don’t spoil the evening for us both.
    “No, I’m serious.”
    “Really, Jeffrey, there’s no comparison.” He was definitely a Jeffrey, not a Jeff; Ilse felt no impulse to give him a special nickname. “I knew Jan for more than two years, and you and I have been dating, what? Less than two months…. It was before the war and everything. It’s a completely different situation.”
    Jeffrey waited for her to go on. When she didn’t, he said, “How long did you know him before, you know, you two started having sex?”
    This really annoyed Ilse. He’d said “having sex,” not “making love.” Ilse had loved Jan once, so blind had she been.
    “It’s after one in the morning.” She knew she sounded cross. She didn’t want to hurt Jeffrey’s feelings. He was sweet and sincere and giving and other things Ilse liked. But he was a bit reserved in bed compared to Jan. Ilse knew Jeffrey had been engaged once, years ago, and it ended badly. He was estranged from his parents too, though she hadn’t yet learned why.
    “Jeffrey, do you want me to stay or not?”
    His body posture stiffened. He drew a deep breath to say something. Ilse knew they were about to have a fight. The phone on the little desk rang.
    “Crap,” Jeffrey said.
    “Maybe you should answer it.” It had rung at midnight, but Jeffrey ignored it then. They were occupied, and he said that at that hour it was surely a wrong number. Now it was ringing again.
    Jeffrey got out of bed and felt for the phone in the dark. The room was already cold. A draft got under the blanket, and Ilse shivered and pulled the covers close. Outside the window the storm blustered, but not as strong as before.
    “Lieutenant Commander Fuller.” Jeffrey spoke firmly into the phone. He paused to listen. He listened for some time.
    “Understood.” There was a shorter pause. “No, I’ll tell her…. Yes, I have her extension. I’ll do it. Very well.” He hung up.
    “What was that all about?”
    Jeffrey stayed standing, naked in the dark—as a SEAL in younger days, he was desensitized to cold that would make other people’s teeth chatter. Jeffrey