"The truth is, that damned dog is better off than I am," Mark had said with his famous (to Dianne) grin. "Here, I've got to go back to the base to get separated and these two wild hunyaks work their way right into the population."

Dianne had been so over-joyed to see him that if he'd said "peanuts" or whatever, she could have laughed herself silly. She'd hugged and clung to him, hardly noticing the strange boy and his dog during those first few minutes. Mark was home! Safe and sound! Home with her and almost for good!

"It'll take another week or so, baby… processing and all that," he'd said, holding her on his lap in his favorite chair while Kye stood by with a great smile lighting his handsome, young face, his breath-taking German shepherd mimicking him with open jaws and beautifully erect ears. "No longer than that… and it'll only be a matter of minutes if I can catch a flight to cover that hundred miles down here to La Berdina before we're together for good!"

"Oh darlinggg…" she'd moaned, kissing him passionately on the lips.

"It is super to be home again, right, Captain Mark?" Kye's enthusiastic voice and winning smile had interrupted in almost perfect English. "I don't blame you, Joe! She, your Mrs. Captain, is very beautiful!"

"She's Mrs. Dianne, Kye, and I expect you to look after her until I get back," Mark had said. "Can you and Sergeant handle the job?"

"Yes sir! You know we can, Captain Mark! You bet! Right on, eh?" the boy had exuberated.

"Right on, Kye!"

There had been more before Mark had to leave, and the greater share of it pertaining to young Kye Tsen Dang and his German shepherd, Sergeant. Whether the authorities would allow them to stay in the U.S. was certainly questionable and as well, doubtful. But while he was there, Mark wanted Kye to know what the American democratic way was like! Could she find it in herself to put up with him until something was done…?