They're French.As I was saying, as we finished up with the assorted Ambassadors and Chargé d'Affaires and everybody had left the Awards room, the Jap...nese Mission to the Collectivity of New Caledonia had sent its military representative, the Naval Intelligence officer to the gala. He was the only one left in the Awards room.He cornered me to ask if I had seen a submarine on the way up from Norfolk."Yes, if you mean the one that twice tried to torpedo the Vellamo III." I wouldn't know anything. He was already in room 1101. He asked me to go to the desk saying that I was Mathew Zimmer’s guest.I picked up a luggage rack where the taxi let me out. I called from the lobby at 16:00. He asked if I had the card yet. I told him I was in line and had my things on a luggage rack. He thanked me for being early and said I should be in his room in a minute or two.Before I got to the desk they saw my VIP badge. (We were asked to wear it when not with a client.) The bell captain approached me. I. ’ The woman all nodded there agreement, most looking around wondrously at the sights around them. They were a bedraggled bunch, their clothes dirty and stained from weeks at sea, their hair messy. They still had their sea legs, and they stumbled pressed together as a single unit behind Falcon. ‘Here we are,’ Falcon opened the door for them. The church was the biggest building in the little fort. Even then, however, the women were still a little cramped. They all fit, though, and the tight space. I will not be taking any stranger home tonight.”Bill introduced us to the three women and two men at his table as my friend Ted VonHarnard and his lovely mother, Dr. Doris VonHarnard. There were handshakes, nods and raised glasses as Bill introduced his new friends to us.Mom took a seat, and I went to the bar, flashed my fake ID at the skeptical bartender, and ordered a draft beer for myself and a margarita with a salted rim for Mom.The night was going very well. Mom was having a good time..