Atk. Butterfly - Rust Bucket

I was faced with a slight predicament when I got home. I finally had a regular commission in the Navy and could stay if I so chose to. Not only that, but I was just a step below Admiral. However, I discovered that if I chose to stay in, the Navy was going to make me Commandant of the Academy.

With the war’s end, Captain Clark became Sergeant Clark at the Academy once more, to my bewilderment. Regardless, I sought out his advice on what kind of a decision I should make once I found out that the military intended on making me Commandant of the Academy if I stayed in the Navy. I had pictured myself more as being in charge of a squadron in space, not behind a desk or in front of a class. It was either become Commandant or remain with Pennyweight whose secret was still hidden from me.

Sarge said, “Dave, it’s good to see you or should I call you sir as my boss?”

I replied, “Don’t get funny, Sergeant or Captain Clark. You’re quite a chameleon. I came to ask for your advice as a friend, so it’s Dave.”

He said, “Fine, then call me George. I’m getting tired of trying to know what we should call each other, too.”

I replied, “Suits me, George. Since you already know what the Navy is offering me, you know what my two obvious choices are. I get to either come back to the Academy and sit behind a desk or return to Pennyweight. At least, I’ll see more action than the Navy, as you once put it so grandly to me. Can you give me your insight into this?”

He said, “Dave, I don’t know now what’s best for you. I never did before. I merely showed you a route to get what you wanted when the main road was blocked. You finally achieved your initial goal. You achieved a lot more in getting to it. You might have wound up here at the Academy anyway as its commandant had you graduated and stayed with the Navy. Then you wouldn’t know of any other career choice and I guess there wouldn’t be a need to make a decision. Anything I say isn’t going to make a difference either way. The real question is what will make you happy the most? That’s something only you can decide. Then you’ll live with your decision.”

I said, “I’m advising you that if you’re really serious about getting your commission, then keep on trying. I’m sorry that you have to leave the Academy. So, even if you won’t be able to return, you still have options available that are alternate routes to your goal.”

The cadet asked, “Admiral, did you ever find out the mystery behind the Pennyweight Shipping Company?”

I replied, “Son, there are more mysteries in life than the ones we create. Just keep your mind active and you’ll see that there are plenty of them for everyone.”

1. All individuals have equal rights under the law.

2. All individuals have the right to regulate their own bodies according to their own wishes and beliefs.

- parents of minor children will be presumed to have the right to guide their children in such functions until substantial proof is furnished showing inability or unwillingness on the parents’ behalf.

3. All individuals have the right to pursue a lifestyle of their own choosing in private and public so long as it does not:

- cause physical harm to another individual, business, or government.

- cause outstanding physical harm to the environment, unless the individual erases such harm to the environment afterwards through restoration.

- prevent the ordinary conduct of other individuals, business, and government.

- government may not support nor restrict any particular lifestyle so long as it does not violate the rights of others.

4. All individuals have the right to worship or not as they choose:

- the government at all levels may not support nor restrict any religion so long as the religion does not violate the rights of individuals.

- businesses may not support, be associated with, nor restrict any religion.

- religions may not support nor operate any businesses in competition with ordinary business nor interfere with the conduct of ordinary legal business or the rights of individual citizens.

5. All individuals have the right to move about freely without restriction except in such cases where the government is acting to protect vital interests by establishing a defense base or other facility where security is required in order to protect the government and its people.

6. All individuals have the right to communicate with other individuals.

7. All individuals have the right to associate with whomever they choose in whatever numbers they may choose so long as they are peaceful.

8. All individuals have the right to own and carry personal weapons in any manner as well as use them for defense.

9. All individuals have the right to freely elect any and all public officials who represent them:

- elections cannot be postponed nor cancelled by action of the individuals elected into public office.

- election districts cannot be designed to keep any political group in or out of power and shall be as compact in design as is possible taking topography into account.

10. All individuals have the right to address their concerns to the government.

11. All individuals have the right to know all charges being placed against them at the time of arrest for all criminal cases.

- an arrest warrant shall be issued only on the oath or affirmation of a named individual or on an indictment by grand jury giving probable grounds indicating an offense has been committed.

- all individuals have the right to due process under the law and to a speedy trial with competent legal representation equal to the abilities of the prosecution.

- all individuals subject to arrest for criminal acts are entitled to trial by an impartial jury in the governing district in which the crime occurred.

- all individuals have the right to not self-incriminate themselves with testimony.

- all individuals have the right to confront their accusers and witnesses.

- all individuals have the right of compulsory testimony by witnesses in his favor.

- all individuals are protected against being tried twice for the same offense, even under a different charge, such other charges for the same offense either being tried at the same time or being forfeited by the prosecution.

12. All individuals have the right to privacy against illegal intrusion.

13. All individuals have the right to own property and to be secure in their possessions and effects against illegal search or seizure:

- a legal search warrant shall be issued only on the oath or affirmation of a named individual giving probable cause.

- the search warrant shall list specifically what or who is being searched for.

- the search warrant shall list what place or individual is to be searched.

14. All individuals have the right to fair compensation for work, products, and property.

- private property taken for public use shall be returned at the soonest opportunity, when possible, and justly compensated for without placing requirements on the individual to apply for such.

15. All individuals have the right to use their work, products, and property in a manner that they see most fitting: - provided that such use does not deprive others of their rights. - provided that such use does not cause outstanding physical harm to the environment, unless the individual erases such harm to the environment afterwards through restoration.

- provided that such use does not cause physical harm to another individual, business, or government.

- provided that such use does not prevent the ordinary conduct of other individuals, business, and government.