New Homeport Island Part 4

On the mess decks the E-4 and below conversed during their meals same as ever, with the E-5's it was more hit and miss, dependent upon who's merit they stood upon during the arguments, some had actually stood on their own merit, but far too many had stood upon the merit of their subordinates and all the E-6...the first cla.s.s petty officers, egged on in the promise of soon becoming chief petty officers, feared for their lives. As the hours rolled on, and all had a chance to sleep at sea again the first cla.s.ses would test the waters figuratively speaking, and risk testing the waters literally speaking.

Word through the grape vine was we were to position ourselves beneath a satellite belonging to the U.S. geological survey, things had gone awry and its malfunction left no way to contact the satellite without being directly beneath it. We would upload a new program and the satellite would maneuver itself back into position. The X.O. and Ms. Mulner the ships intelligence officer seemed to have somewhere else to be and their absence was conspicuous to the crew.

In C.I.C. the social tension was high enough to break a camel's back. The watch stations had all been set; the ship was still within one hundred fifty miles from the coast of Oregon in an out chop. The reports throughout the ship regarding the ships condition rendered Combat Information Central irrelevant with the exception of storm tracking. Unloaded and dysfunctional, powered down consoles have a watch stander sitting at them for twelve hours at a time. The games ensued, when times were good it was a science fiction adventure land with a game of dungeons and dragons on the side.

Williams said to Worksen, "Thanks for all your help...or was it just me helping you?" Worksen replied, "You said you didn't want the chiefs getting in trouble. They ran this scheme."

CTR3 Larry Linscoe said, "Why, why would they run a scheme like that." Worksen replied, "They said the history of this boat is that the chiefs have always run the boat...I guess we get bad officers or bad captains." Linscoe replied, "We were going to kill you guys." Worksen asked, "and why did it come to that?"

Linscoe took of his ballcap and scratch his head saying, "You guys were saying that we were all f.u.c.k ups, that you had done the work that we had actually done and there for you knew what you were talking about." Worksen said, "Well they convinced us we're all just working for our superiors and it's the president of the United States defending the country." Williams interjected, "So...if I do something positive then I didn't do anything all and am just a f.u.c.k up, but if I do something negative then it's just more proof I'm a f.u.c.k up." Worksen replied, "Get promoted..."

Linscoe added, "Ya, because you guys are tired of doing it all."

Worksen became enraged and said, "Now you f.u.c.king get it!

Now you understand and can't deny it!" GMM2 Sinks started tapping his fingers and said, "So when I trouble shot the VLS console and found that short...that would be an example what you are tired of having to do all by yourself." Worksen responded, "Things like that, ya." Williams asked Worksen, "When did you ever work on that console?" Worksen replied, "I do what I do, you do what you do." To which Linscoe responded with a sigh, "Well, dude...to be honest I'm tired of doing everything myself. Those manuals you were putting the ships force revisions into...that made me tired...And when the h.e.l.l am I going to get some recognition for having done that?"

Worksen yelled, "When you get promoted!" Ensign Cardell responded, "f.u.c.k you guys." and a tense silence fell over the s.p.a.ce again.

Mr. Mormus was in his state room reviewing performance records he had to request from the Department of Defense database, looking for the things that don't go into a service record. Hoping to find no one on board had killed in the line of duty or had any involvement in any top secret operations. Early on in his search he decided not to leave his stateroom until the ship was safely in port.

His phone rang and he answered, "Mormus..." It was captain Artimus calling, "You going to come out and play?" he asked. Mormus replied with a forced laugh, "Ahaha...still looking Captain..." Artimus then asked, "Any good stories?"

Artimus was in his stateroom and threw his left leg up on his desk as he began scratching his groin. Mormus sat pensive at his desk, Looked up and gasped as he considered how he would reply and said again with a forced laugh that nearly sounded like crying, "It seems some of our boys went up against Iraqi intelligence services well after the war...there's even some arrests of ship board gangs and drug dealers in these." Artimus rolled his head and his eyes simultaneously and replied, "I like the ship board gang one...let see if we can get any play there."

In the galley MS3 Scrye was preparing the evening meal.

DKSN Greg Laung was mess cranking helping clean the galley and prepare the food. Laung was tearing lettuce by hand when he asked, "You know anything about this satellite thing were doing?" Scrye replied, "I was up there...they don't know if we'll get it, and it's a three week underway period." Laung replied, "Three weeks? What are we underway for this time?"

Scrye replied, "We just do it."

The meal was to be beef stroganoff or chicken patty with ma.s.sed potatoes and stewed carrots, not a favorite meal of the crew but the reality of having a complaints department but no compliment department has been long understood by this galley staff. It's said that on one occasion a new recruit had complimented the food and the result was a mess specialist second cla.s.s petty officer went so delirious realizing no one had complimented the food in three years he had to be rushed to the emergency room and pledged to only serve dog food forever after. During his stay in Balboa medical center in the psyche ward the Hospital corpsman gave him a religious h.e.l.l for all the bad food they had ever eaten or shipboard case of food poisoning they had treated. He was far worse off upon his return than when he was carried off the ship straight jacketed in the white sheets the navy uses for its bunks. They say the expression on his face was like a five year old kid hopped up on jolt cola and pop rocks with nothing but free pa.s.ses to every ride at Disneyland having just had s.e.x with Minie Mouse; a facial expression far too easy to picture for anyone that's been down that road.

Mr. Mormus had been searching the ship for Mulner and couldn't find her setting him into a panic. One of the last persons to see Mulner was MS3 Scrye. The X.O. rushed into the s.p.a.ce like a rush of wind asking, "Have you seen Mulner since I was last down here?" Scrye replied, "No sir...is it her birthday?"

Mormus replied, "No scrye...it isn't her birthday." Scrye saw how disturbed the X.O. was and said, "I'll find her sir." and the X.O. nodded and gave a quick glance out the door of the galley and then disappeared with a breeze behind him that actually blow down a piece of paper on top of the cabinet next to the door. Scrye walked to the phone and called the bridge. Moments later over the 1MC was pa.s.sed the word. "Ensign Mulner, contact the bridge."

Several minutes later there had been no response from Mulner. Mulner had gone to the disbursing office and walked past the ladder to forward pump room, there was the sound of rushing water and a gush of air as she pa.s.sed. In disbelief and shock she had descended the ladder to rea.s.sure herself that all was well. But once she reached the bottom she could only see one thing that her eyes had fixed on, a gush of water spraying up and being deflected by the overhead back down to the forward bulkhead, the arc of the water traversed the s.p.a.ce from forward to aft. She stood there stunned, she glanced around and realized this is not a normally manned s.p.a.ce, but a machinery s.p.a.ce. She read the bulls-eye on the bulkhead giving the frame number, deck, division responsible, and s.p.a.ce designation. Once she had noted the bulls-eye, she attempted to gauge the rate of flooding, then looked for a phone. Mulner said, "phone..phone...where the h.e.l.l is the phone." She panicked and cried out, "h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo!

A little help here!"

DCFN Hyple was on the sounding and security watch a roving watch that checks the s.p.a.ces bilge levels and temperatures to ensure there are no fires or flooding. He was just descending that same ladder when he heard a female voice call out, "h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo! Where the f.u.c.king h.e.l.l is the G.o.d d.a.m.n phone!!!" Once Hyple reached the bottom of the ladder he saw a growing wall of water and whirlpools forming in the raising bilge water as well as a screaming lost and delirious ensign, he instantly went into shock and with a flash of rage he looked at her and yelled, "What the h.e.l.l did you do!!!??" Mulner looked at him shocked with no idea how long he had been standing there and cried out in a raspy hoa.r.s.e voice, "What did I do!!?" Hypole tried to regain his composure and with his masculinity in full force held out his hand as if to say calm yourself and asked, "Who else is down here!" his voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the rushing water. Mulner looked at him and back to the rushing water doing a triple take that made her dizzy and she asked, "Are you going to do...anything!!?" her voice just as raspy as before. Hyple again flashed with rage he yelled back at her throwing down his clip board and sounding tape, "What the h.e.l.l are you even down here for!!" Mulner noticed the sounding tape as it hit the deck and she yelled, "Oh, your sounding and security...were flooding!" using the gesture he had used just before her and pointing with her other hand at the water coming from the aft end of the s.p.a.ce. Hyple replied in an angry yell, "What the h.e.l.l did you do!!" Mulner responded in a full panic realizing he suspected her of sabotage and might strike out in violence. She yelled back at him, "No...No...It's coming from back there!" Hyple clenched his right fist just below his hip and grimaced. Mulner said, "No...G.o.d no! Your being disrespectful!" and with that Hyple struck her in the her left temple. She with stood the blow and cried as she said, "Will you just report it...will you just report it." Hyple couldn't hear her over the sound of the water and with an astonished look on his face he asked, "Are you saying... you just want to die, you just want to die!!??" Mulner yelled back wide eyed, dizzy and blurred from the blow she sustained, "No! No!...I'll go report it...I didn't do it...I'll go report it!"

Hyple unzipped his coveralls to waist level and tied the sleeves around his waist, then took of his dungaree shirt and waded in the water looking for a rupture in the hull. He resigned himself to stopping the flooding or dying in the attempt. In spite of his shock and hypothermia he was beginning to think more clearly, a voice in his head was saying, "repeat it...repeat it." He voiced out loud, "Repeat what!" and in a moment of clarity it struck him... "Report it!" He yelled. He made his way back to the 2JV mic which was wrapped around a threaded stud on the sewage treatment plant and keyed the mic, "Hey guys, this is hyple forward pump room is flooding pretty bad...it's up to my waist." Central Control replied, "Is it the S.T.P. Hyple?" Hyple replied sounding as though he were crying, "No...I, think it's the hull."

In central chief Pete announced, "That guy is a DC- men...maybe he couldn't get laid in a wh.o.r.e house, maybe performance anxiety with a woman that has been with a h.e.l.l of a lot of men would prevent him from being able to get it up...but he's a DC-men and I believe him." Orbly said, "Let's not have a repeat of Aux one, send someone up there." Chief Pete responded in irritation, "How about I just call it away! Don't you have the watch?" Orbly ran over and keyed the 1MC, "Flooding, Flooding...Flooding in s.p.a.ce five tac one four eight tac one...forward pump room." The ship didn't set general quarters dealing with flooding was becoming a sport or perhaps as physical readiness training it was just a workout routine.

Mr. Murmos happened upon Ms. Mulner in his stealthy search through the ship. Mulner jumped with a shake of her head that flipped her hair from on shoulder to the other and she shouted, "Sir, Sir..." Mr. Mormus lunged at her cover her mouth and asked fearfully, "Who'd they kill?" Mulner startled, "Ah- hunh wha..?" Mormus slowly uncovered her mouth and she said, "I'll say it calmly then...flooding, forward pump room, flooding. Hyple is a d.i.c.k." It was just then that they had pa.s.sed the word from central regarding the flooding in forward pump room. Mormus said, "Just come with me...many of the problems we are having are indicative of having a ship board gang. Someone in the enlisted ranks does a really good job and as we thank them and give them some recognition that same individual tells us to go f.u.c.k ourselves." Mulner replied, "This may be one of those days, sir."

I ran to the forward pump room ladder and looked down it looked as though I would be neck deep in water. Forward of where I was standing the Captain stepped through the water tight door and asked, "How long have you been here?" I replied, "I just got here." The captain said, "someone named Hyple is down there. It looks flooded solid." I replied, "Yes sir it does." then I jumped down the ladder. I had stood sounding and security while in port years ago and it is an exhausting marathon anything that makes it easier is something you'll eventually figure out. I had descended that ladder many times by just falling until I was half way down, then I would us two fingers thumping the ladder rungs and the toe of my boot slowing myself just enough to stop, but this time there would be a splash.

The water was about two feet from the overhead and Hyple was sitting on the I-beams running along the hull. Hyple called out, "who is that?" I replied, "Lyon" Hyple asked, "Did we get hit by a torpedo?" He was trembling from the cold. I said, "No dude...it looks like it's coming from the fire pump, its flex pipe has bubbles in it I told Hefter about, he said he'd handle it."

Hyple said, "We won't be able to shut off the pump dude, the controller is in local." I replied, "Your Hypothermic Hyple just head out I got it." Hyple replied, "Fa..fa..f.u.c.k you." The last few feet of air in the compartment filled quickly as I swam down and tried to get pa.s.sed cables, pipes and a spinning coupling I was accustomed to using to ensure I didn't slip into the bildge. I eventually open my eyes under the water and noticed the permanently mounted damage control lanterns were still on, but I was swimming into a dark corner with a single green light.

That light was on the controller indicating the pump was running. Hyple was on the other end of the s.p.a.ce keeping his head in an air pocket.

Once I reached it I switched it to the off position and noticed the light went out, but I needed air. I swam back to and up the escape trunk and as I surfaced I gasped for air. Captain Artimus was at the top of the ladder looking down wide eye and yelled, "Is he dead?" I replied, "no he's in an air pocket, I shut off the pump but needed air I'll go back and get him." Just as Captain Artimus was yelling, "Wait!" I swam back under over to the air pocket and told Hyple, "The pump is off; we have to swim out!" Hyple replied, "We'll get electrocuted!!" I said, "After I switched the pump off I needed air, so I swam to the trunk before I got here, the path I took is safe, you shouldn't end up as the path of least resistance in any case." Hyple chattered with a body wide shiver only his neck was above water. We heard a thump, it turned out I had placed the pump controller in remote rather than off. So I asked Hyple where the 2JV mic was at. That particular mic had a long cable and I was concerned I may spend too long pulling the cable to me underwater and run out of air just trying to get the mic. Hyple said, "It's hooked on the S.T.P." I swam over briefly under water and grabbed the cable and pulled it to me. I keyed the mic, "Central forward pump room, the s.p.a.ce is flooded solid. Stop number one fire pump. I don't know if the amp is still working but you should be able to hear me..."Just then the fire pump stopped and I continued, "Forward engineroom align to pump forward pump room over the side." Orbly's voice came over the amp, "Lyon can you hear me?" I keyed the mic again, "Affirmative." Orbly called back, "Is the fire pump the source of the flooding?" I replied, "Yes, the flex pipe ruptured, me and Hyple are in an air pocket. Once we start pumping the s.p.a.ce I'll close the valves."

Orbly replied, "Aye" Gillis and Washam replied simultaneously from different levels in the forward engine room not knowing they were speaking over each other, they had said the valves for pumping out the s.p.a.ce were in forward pump room. I replied, "Use the remote actuators." Then Hyple and I decided to swim out. I grabbed Hyples collar and pulled him through the s.p.a.ce.

Once I had him in the trunk above water he said, "Thanks" and said, "I'm going to close the suction valve", and I swam back down as he climbed the ladder.

In the forward engine room Tinnel, Washam, and Gillis went to align the s.p.a.ce and pump it out. Washam stayed at the pump controller Gillis and Tinnel headed up and out of the engine room to the pa.s.sageway to use the remote operators there. Gillis ran to the hatch to forward pump room and looked down the trunk. In astonishment he uttered an odd sound, "uo whoo whoo eh."

There was still a current to the water in the s.p.a.ce as I swam for the suction valve. It hung down from overhead and it had a large hand wheel, I had been wishing it was just a b.u.t.terfly valve. As I spun the valve closed every fear and doubt I had over my entire life came to mind, I might run out of air and this wasn't exactly absolutely necessary, but there had been doubts about the source of the flooding because of the whirlpool in the bilge and it was possible that there were multiple sources of flooding. I thought back to the women in the crew I had dated and the number of times my heart had been broken and it felt like a kick in the chest. Just as I was beginning to think, 'well, that's close enough' the valve came to a close and I swam back to the trunk.

When I reached the top, all those that were directly involved had been evacuated for shock, hypothermia, and to take statements and give reports. The late comers asked 'what happened down there' and others asked 'what the h.e.l.l I was doing there they had flooding to deal with.' I could only respond with a shivering, "were pumping it now." to which more than one replied, "Oh, that's good because we don't even know what gear we need for this yet, but were pumping it down?" I said, "Let me guess you guys are repair two?" A female voice called out from the back of the crowd, "Ya, so f.u.c.k off." And I headed down to berthing to put something dry on.

Gillis came back and asked if I had come up, FC2 Garenie responded, "Ya, some idiot was down there." Gillis replied, "Some idiot?" Garenie retorted, "Ya...it's still full of water and he came up soaked." Gillis replied, "He had to go get someone out and close the valve. So, you idiots get the eductor." Garenie said, "I didn't think it had the static lift for that trunk." Gillis replied, "It probably doesn't...your just supposed to have something in the event the in s.p.a.ce educator fails or isn't enough." Gillis then looked down the ladder and noticed the water level seemed to be dropping, and headed back to the forward engine room.

Back in medical Hyple was sitting on the examination table with his shirt off as Hospital Corpsman first cla.s.s Linda Hays and Hospital Corpsman third cla.s.s Brian Dorman took his vitals.

His chest was pale and still beaded with water; he was using a hand towel to dry his hair. Dorman asked politely, "Could you be careful not to poke my eyes out with your nipples?" Hyple looked at him and said, "It won't be my nipples that poke you in the eye."

DCFN Hyple was chilled, shivering and in euphoria from the hypothermia. Captain Artimus was still interviewing ENS Mulner through her stateroom door which was left ajar as she changed into dry clothing. DC3 Jennifer Hennely came to the officer's country pa.s.sageway to report to the captain. The captain was amidst his interview with ensign Mulner, "When you saw the water your first thought wasn't to call me?" Mulner responded, "No sir! I was trying to figure out how long it would take to flood the ship; then I needed to report it to central control." The captain replied, "But...why the h.e.l.l would I have been the furthest thing from your mind?" Mulner said, "I'm almost done changing sir...I'm sure you're a hero...but I don't believe you have superpowers." DC3 Hennely interjected, "Captain she's probably putting her bra on. I'm supposed to report the dewatering is nearing completion and it appears the fire pump caused the flooding." Artimus glanced at Jennifer's chest with a pause and rubbed his bottom lip with his index finger in contemplation. He then replied, "What about the two that nearly drown?" She said, "They didn't say anyone had nearly drown..." The captain responded, "Check with medical and tell your chief I'll need that for the record."

Jennifer darted down into medical and saw Hyple on the table coughing into a hand towel and rubbing his nose. Jennifer blurted out, "I heard you drowned...?" Hyple took her by the wristed and said romantically, "No...Lyon may have...but I'm still here." Jennifer looked him in the eyes, then at her wrist that he was holding and then at the bulge in his dungaree pants. She gasped with a cringe and look over at HM1 Hays and said, "Linda...what did you give him!?" Hyple let go of her wrist and wiped his face with the hand towel. Dorman said, "Didn't you just blow your nose on that towel?" Hyple glared at him thinking, 'you c.o.c.k blocking b.a.s.t.a.r.d!' but he said, "Ya, I did." and then tossed the towel in Dorman's face. Hennely said, "You'll be fine just don't get excited."

In the forward engine room Washam was at the bilge pump controller looking over at the suction gauge waiting to see the suction drop off. Over the 2JV amplifier came the word, "Forward, Central...status of forward pump room?" Washam grabbed the 2JV mic on the lower level of the forward engine room and keyed it, "You got anyone down there?" Central control responded, "No, that's why I'm calling you." Washam replied, "I haven't lost suction yet...that's all I know."

Hyple had changed into dry clothes and went back to central, he was provided a sounding tape from the oil lab, another clip board and a fresh log sheet. Chief Pete said, "You'll need to start your rounds in forward pump room, good job."

Hyple smiled and replied, "Thanks." Then he headed to forward pump room and resumed his rounds.

DC3 Hennely was back at the machine shop and heading aft and down one deck to the Hull technician store room to help find more flex pipe. As she arrived HT1 Hefter was shifting the stock material around, trying to get past pipes and valves and rods to the flex pipe buried beneath the other raw materials of his trade. 't.u.r.d chasers' they were sarcastically called. The most frequent tasks they tended to was unclogging the sewage system.

On no less than three occasions he had been called upon to remove shower towels and even men's briefs from the sewage piping to unclog it within the past six months. It seems some areas of the country still relied on out hoses and the restriction as to what can be sent down the commode was still a difficult matter for some to understand.

Hefter asked, "You working with me Jenn?" Hennely responded, "Ya...how bad is it?" Hefter replied, "Lyon told me that flex pipe was bubbled, so I told the Div-O and he said to hold off. Now it looks like I may be an HT two." Hennely said, "Lyon will tell the Captain." Hefter responded, "All Lyon knows is I said I would handle it and didn't; and he and Hyple nearly drowned." Hennely rea.s.sured Hefter, "Lyon's chiefs are like our officers, he'll understand." Hefter coughed out, "Don't sweat it...it's a guy thing."

As the pump was being repaired C.I.C. was getting the satellite communications up and running. Manuals and procedures, circuit cards and tools were strewn across the s.p.a.ce and the operational specialist were sitting cross legged indian style on the deck like some disobedient kindergarten cla.s.s finally brought to order. Athena asked, "Does anyone have card three six one seven four four twelve tac nine?" as she read the part number out. A voiced called out from behind the console, "Go fish." Athena replied with a laugh, "I'm pretty sure that's what I'm doing." ET1 s.p.a.clavia asked, "Why don't they just put these things in Nintendo cartages?"

At that moment a seagull blew out to sea by the recent storm landed on the superstructure and found a warm place to rest. The sea gently rolled and the word was pa.s.sed, "Dinner for the crew." The crew gathered in the mess line for their meal, midday meal being 'dinner' and evening meal being 'supper'; which was a semantic pointed out to new sailors usually followed by saying, "...but, the breakfast is pretty good."

As the sailors ate their lunch the ship changed course to rendezvous with and auxiliary oiler ship for underway replenishment. The oiler was a full days steam from the USS Paul F Foster's position, and had to divert due to weather extending the distance and making the rendezvous and refueling critical or we would run out of fuel on the open waters.

Mr. Mormus dined in his stateroom with Ens. Mulner. As they dinned they discussed the investigation they were going to conduct on the ship. Mulner said, "I hate to rule anyone out so early, but certain members of the crew that have been very violent in the past have been just too busy to be involved in any coercion." Mormus chuckled and asked, "Who are you afraid to rule out?" Mulner said, "Honestly, I think Auxiliaries division has let the slang name for their department to go their heads...I mean 'A-Gang'? But, the engineers have been very busy."

Mormus replied, "I believe that's exactly where they are rooted."

Mulner said, "Well Elper for example, he falls into social cliques quickly and would love to be regarded as a bad a.s.s, but just had to deal with a ruptured pipe in Aux one and all the other discrepancies in material condition. Lyon had to deal with that as well and with the flooding in forward pump room. He was on a tender before this ship and he hates it here but he is also way too busy." Mormus replied, "Lyon carries work lists in the waist his coveralls that he generates and I've seen how he responds to his shop when they throw a tantrum. I know why he hates it here, but he is more likely to threaten their lives if they don't do the job right rather than demand protection money or sell drugs." Mulner said, "Drugs?" Mormus said, "Something is driving this. We have top performers that save the day here and it's been a tough couple of months, they make themselves hero's and when we go to complement them they tell us to f.u.c.k off."

Mulner replied, "Isn't that just the F.T.N. guys?" Mormus looked at her as he finished chewing his food, he swallowed and said, "You mean like Lyon?" Mulner looked surprised and drank her bug juice then said, "Well no I mean the ones that won't work and hate the navy." Mormus rubbed at his right eye and said, "I've been in the navy a while...and I never have seen one of those."

In Aux. one senior chief Rickly was putting away tool inventory sheets and headed up to the chiefs mess for lunch. As he walked down the pa.s.sage way a small group of blue shirts stood talking, two of his were there EN3 Zanes and EN3 Elper.

Zanes looked near to the point of rage and Elper was laughing a subtle laugh they were toe to toe with one of the gunner's mates and one of the Firecontrolmen. Rickly let out a loud startling cough from behind the combat systems pair and the enginemen were also caught unaware.

Rickly looked at the two enginemen, "Have you eaten yet?" he asked. "Ya." they replied. The two Combat systems personnel said, "No. We're headed there now." Rickly replied with a big pleasant smile, "Okay." as they left and Zanes and Eplers started to walk away Rickly blocked their path by slamming his fist up against the wall and said with a great deal of restraint, "I want to know from you two what that was." Elper said, "Nothing..." like a young boy caught messing around in the school yard. Rickly responded, "Get your heads back in the game, the whole chiefs mess has been looking at all of you guys.

These whispering conversations look like G.o.d d.a.m.n drug deals and some of the more junior guys have been p.i.s.sed of enough to kill since before the flight deck bulls.h.i.t with the captain." Zanes gave a rea.s.suring wave of his hands at waist level and said, "It's nothing chief, we're not allowed to say." Elper said, "We're handling it...we can't say, but we're handling it the same way you would." Rickly's face turned bright red for a moment and then he said remorsefully, "You better be." and he continued into the chiefs mess.

As the crew ate their meals on the enlisted mess deck there were darting looks from table to table. The mess decks were unusually silent; the crew had been pitted against each other in a series of political schemes. From my position on the ship it seemed to be an exercise in absurdity, fighting for control of a chaos hurricane they had lost their sense of security so they tried to control every social aspect they could manipulate and it all came down like a house of cards. The one thing that drove me crazy was how so many half-witted schemes could be plotted at the same time by so many people in different social cliques.

Then I realized the destroyer squadron staff's role was "Instigator". It seems they had some ridiculous notion of finding the navy's first 'five point oh' sailor. Navy personnel evaluations had been changed adding an additional point from 'four point zero' to five; the evaluation system was actually left to being pa.s.s or fail anything over a two point zero was pa.s.sing.

Any sailor given lower than two point zero was substandard and the management would have to site themselves as having failed as well. Left with a substandard sailor too long and your 'Fitrep's' would drop. The officers and their fitness reports, the enlisted with their evaluations and both fell into simple pa.s.s or fail so it is the system its self that failed. On the new 'five point oh' system this was to be avoided the navy announced the first five point zero sailor would be held up to the entire navy as an example; and for a fair amount of scrutiny.

The schemes running onboard seemed to start off as just hara.s.sment and retaliation, but then led into outright sabotage.

Now on the mess decks everyone had a chance to begin to suspect the persons targeting them as well as who their accomplices would be, and what bizarre social dynamic was driving the chaos. Glances exchanged were mind boggling a sailor gives the nod of trust to another, that then in turn looks to their cohort and nods with trust resulting in that first sailor terrified that they are in the wrong clique and have become fodder for destruction.

There was a cough on the mess decks some sailor had a cold, as nearly every crew member there flinched and reached for a weapon of one kind or another I laughed and pointed it out and then said, "What's that napkin holder going to do for you dude?...seriously, your all such a bunch of back stabbers you'd all kill each other for a navy achievement medal and when she coughed everyone reached for their knives or something in their pocket and you reach for a napkin holder...haha" It was Firecontrolmen second cla.s.s Ecky. Ecky broke out into a sweat and teared up a little and said, "Well, I could throw it." after he said that the laughter that broke out was downright satanic. After I made the a.s.sertion that these games had been exposed I glanced around the mess decks and noticed some where smiling...they're finally going to get help with all the hara.s.sment they've been through, Others were looking to each other in distress with an expression that seemed to communicate 'we're gonna' die!' I pointed that out to the whole crew there on the mess decks in the hope that my bluff would work; I had no idea why they were attacking each other. Athena coughed and then said to the whole crowd, "Oh sorry, don't kill anybody."

Mulner and the X.O. were still trying to determine the access points for investigation and dinning in the X.O.'s stateroom. Mr. Mormus said, "I know the electrician's mates are involved somehow." Ensign Mulner replied, "Not everyone that doesn't play dungeons and dragons are just the devils idle hands sir." Mormus gave a hearty laugh and Mulner joined him in a giggle-fest followed by Mr. Mormus regaining his composure and saying as seriously as he could manage, "Yes, they are."

The ship began rocking a little more as its profile in the winds and seas were changed by the chow reliefs. On the bridge the captain poked his head in asking, "Is everything alright?"

Mr. Deckly the deck division officer was standing officer of the deck and replied, "Ya." Ms. Clarkson had the conning officer watch and she replied, "Situation normal all forward." Artimus smiled and starred first straight into her soul through her eyes daring it to utter another word then right at her breast and said, "That's not how that goes." Clarkson turned around and checked her bra, Deckly noticed and laughed saying to her, "The phrase is, situation normal all f.u.c.ked up." The Captain just glanced around at the bridge watches ensuring he made eye contact and headed back to his stateroom. Ensign Clarkson watches as waves crossed the bow crashing about a third of the way across the ship from the starboard side toward the port side and said, "I love that this is where we serve our country, but why do the seas get worse every time we take the watch?" Deckly said, "This is why they call it the raging main" Clarkson stepped out on to the port side bridge wing and took off her ball cap and let down her shoulder length brunet hair and let the wind blow through hair locks. She smiled the ecstatic smile of a girl in love, the wind at sea does this to women and while they don't join the navy for it, it is why they stay in. Deckly walked over to the starboard side bridge chair, the Captain's chair and climbed up into it, on experience he knew not to watch Clarkson on the bridge wing.

He took out his keys and fumbled through them. The helm watch relaxed as the rocking of the ship lulled them to a misty comfortable place in their minds. The blue sky was streaked with long white flat clouds and the gusts of wind were tolerable like a spring day on the beach, as the ship cut the winds and tides at an other than desirable meter.

In Aux two the work bench tool cabinet slung open and spanner wrenches and cans of penetrating oil and graphite grease tumbled out and rolled across the diamond deck plates and one of the cans of graphite grease fell into the bilge. From the main deck pa.s.sage way near the ships store the hull could be heard creaking again.

Mr. Mormus and Ens. Mulner were finishing their meal.

Mr. Mormus said, "I'm a little bit more conspicuous than you are..." Mulner interjected, "Because you're the X.O." Mr.

Murmos continued, "so I'll watch them in the smoking area.

You'll have to handle the ones hanging out in the pa.s.sageways."

Mulner replied, "I'll get 'em."

Captain Artimus headed to the wardroom as the lunch hour closed for an after meal update meeting. Despite being underway all the ships officers were to be present. Lieutenant Commander Mormus was the X.O. and a heavy smoker he had a sarcasm about him that nicely offset his mild irritability.

Lieutenant Capes was the chief engineer the department head of the engineering department, he had started in the navy as an enlisted man which gives him the t.i.tle of 'mustang' he was an older guy with twenty years in the navy in contrast the captain had been in for twelve years, Capes was the typical result of a kid from Tennessee doing his growing up within the culture of the military, more of what is done is for appearance rather than a result.

Capes and Murmos had a special relationship, commonly referred to as condescension; they would be condescending to each other until one of them felt sea sick. Capes being junior to Murmos would try to concede to his on folly in a condescending manner which inflamed Mormus's sarcasm and that in turn was interpreted as condescension by Capes; who would then upon being directly taunted would escalate his condescension, it became two men suffering from infantilism and was both irritating and amusing to Captain Artimus who would occasionally jump on the band wagon himself. That is the origin of Clarkson relationship with the captain having seen he is just another boy in the tree house that always seems to get his way.

As the officers filtered in eating snacks and peanut b.u.t.ter sandwiches, Artimus grew impatient and though the lunch hour hadn't concluded called for all officers to the wardroom. Over the 1MC senior chief boatswains mate Fuay voice rang out, "Now muster all officers in the wardroom." In central control GSE1 Orbly looked at GSM1 Hudlow and slowly a.s.sumed a maniacal grin, Hudlow looked at Orbly and with a great deal of apprehension asked, "What's that mean?" Orbly replied, "Here it comes."

Once the commissioned officers all arrived in the wardroom they all sat at the dining table and Captain Artimus announced, "Now that you're all here we'll begin. As you know I haven't been happy lately. We gotten some things done, but we can't sit back on our laurels...they just won't let us. Because we're needed...you're needed to take a stand and get these problems solved for me, it's what you do. I've bought us a reprieve from our recent embarra.s.sment on the credit of my reputation, and you'll be making those payments. We are going to jump ahead and go to the task we were training for and reset that satellite. It changes this underway period to a three week trip but I have made all the arrangements. Lieutenant Capes, your engineers have to be ready for an UNREP at a moment's notice. Lieutenant Weatherc.o.c.k your twidgets need to be on target with their operations...I want nothing but net. Think 'swish' not 'suck', in fact all of you take a moment and concentrate on 'swish...nothing but net'." The captain paused and looked around the room for compliance; and continued, "All I'm seeing is suck. Come on really try this time." As he watched the junior officers intently one by one, scanning the crowd he was pleased.

The chief petty officers had scrambled back to the chiefs mess after that announcement over the 1MC and began a 'what's next master chief meeting' The command master chief began with his usual opening "I guess your all wondering what's going on..." and he glanced around it seemed the consensus was 'yes' he continued, "and you expect me to tell you?" again he glanced around and saw an affirmative response with a degree of modesty and plea, so he added, "The one thing I've never understood about this particular group is why the h.e.l.l you would expect me to know."

Chief Dotz said, "Well he'll call you next right?" Hauldbalm replied, "Since when have I even made it appear to work that way?" They began pa.s.sing out cups of coffee, on one side of the mess it appeared to be pa.s.sed around like sacrament at the last supper, on the other they pa.s.sed it like it was last rations in a fox hole in Normandy. These types of observations were what really drove master chief Hauldbalm to the brink of insanity, fearful that in earlier years he too was just some kid playing navy. As they sat 'waiting for Jesus' the hull creaked loudly down the midships starboard side with a resonating thud; it rang like a steel drum.

In central over the 2JV was heard gsm3 Marcy, "Central, aux two...did we just hit something." The EOOW called back, "There's nothing to hit; we're in the deep water." Marcy called back, "Aye" A few moments later the EOOW called over the 2JV, "I checked with the bridge about any kind of collision they said there wasn't anything we could have hit and maybe we just sped up." Gsm3 Luds called over the 2JV from the oil lab, "The bridge said 'maybe' we just sped up?" Senior chief Johann had gone to the chiefs mess for their meeting leaving the Electric plant console operator machinery repairman second cla.s.s Michael Malen as the engineering officer of the watch and the degree of uncertainty in the communications he had with the officer of the deck Boatswains mate first cla.s.s Branson left them both unsure that the ship was even actually underway.

At that moment there in high orbit sat a satellite with a corrupted program that had taken a hard electromagnetic pulse from a solar flare due to a dust cloud containing iron oxides and zinc as well as other elements. From the vantage point of the satellite the Pacific Ocean in its entirety could be viewed.

Streaks of white clouds over a blue ocean some areas dotted with waves. The crashing tides along the South American continent, smoke rising from a California brush fire started by some kids on all-terrain vehicles the week before; in the dry desolate high desert of Antelope Valley. The ship sat nestled in a soft blue sea rolling a crossed the surface toward the south west; leaving a faint wake behind it.

From the bridge BM1 Branson observed the rolling waves and crashing white caps for the first time ever not from the small motor whale boat as a craft master but from the bridge of a destroyer as a deck officer. He strolled out to the starboard bridge wing to take it all in. While down in C.I.C. the cards had all been replaced in their consoles some calibrated some not and Operational Specialist Seaman Athena Williams sat sleeping at her console. I was in the aft engine room rereading a technical manual I had read a thousand times but there was a poetry to something that has a definite answer, it's just a collection of simple machines overlaid into something considered complicated. GSM1 Hudlow was at the propulsion and auxiliaries control console watching what appeared to be a malfunctioning edgewise meter as the shaft torque indicators danced up and down sporadically; he found it hypnotizing.

Gsm2 Dipree was in the GS division store room rummaging for some piece of antiquity; while Gsm2 Norrie looked on with a blank look. EN3 Elper and EN2 River were in the pa.s.sageway with BM3 Brock arguing about small boat maintenance as SN Melad fetched them some sodas from the nearby vending machine.

In the wardroom the captain continued his dissertation, "Through the course of our search for our ship five point oh sailor we discovered evidence that there may be a shipboard gang. Everytime we complemented a sailor on their performance we were met with hostility and vulgarities, you know telling us to 'go f.u.c.k ourselves' and in one case I was told 'you have an interesting way of making enemies', they've been getting hara.s.sed and their personal lives have been...'Molested' is the word they used, they're girlfriends er, boyfriends in the case of the females have been manipulated in very damaging ways. It seems once we deemed them worthy of consideration as our first 'perfect' sailor everyone attacked them, some looking to knock them out of the running and according to these few selected sailors some just wanted to be able to say 'I made him what he is today'."

Ensign Swishzel interjected, "We had a problem like that in engineering when we tried to find a candidate for the command advancement program, sir. Good worker, good work ethic and relatively well liked by his coworkers but truly hates this job and the way we do it." Artimus replied, "And where did we transfer that guy to?" Swishzel and Clarkson replied simultaneously, "Here." Swishzel continued, "We T.A.D.'d him for a few days and thought we could get a fresh start...just p.i.s.sed him off even more." Artimus c.o.c.ked his head and then had a revelation, "Oh G.o.d, him...he isn't one of these prospective five point oh's is he?" Clarkson replied, "Yes, sir. And it's still all bad." Artimus said, "Jesus. Make sure he doesn't end up in these! He d.a.m.n near thought I was a stalker the last time."

Mr. Mormus raised his hand and the captain nodded and sat down. Mormus stood up cupping his hands together at waist level and said, "The ship board gang is a real threat and they have avoided detection, apparently all of these selectees have been targeted, but in a couple of those cases those particular sailors wouldn't intimidated by any sailors on this ship with only the possible exception of themselves, it's a very good group we have selected there. There is one lead however, the crew is calling it 'lavender' and we will follow up on that." Mr. Mormus sat down.

Ensign Spayner asked, "They used a code name? I thought shipboard gangs we're just like street gangs." Ensign Lees coughed loudly and asked, "Should I stand up?" Artimus scratched his left eye brow and spoke toward the table with some irritation, "I don't know should you?" Spayner interjected, "You stupid son of a b.i.t.c.h, let me guess your code name Lavender." Lees was the self-centered egotistical type always the elitists and always looking for his chance to bait someone in to looking improper or just plain s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up, but he reacted uncharacteristically in this case by looking back at her and responding much as the enlisted in his division would have. He retorted, "Shut up b.i.t.c.h! Please..." he looked around the room as his irritation faded into embarra.s.sment with the red in his face never getting the chance to subside. He added, "I know what lavender is, one or two of my guys used it before I realized what it was and I set them straight..." Captain Artimus interjected, "This may be something we need to discuss in private." Lees responded with a little shock at the captain's interjection and said, "No sir, I can handle it. I didn't know what it was either so I..." Captain Artimus interjected again holding up his palm in a stop gesture and said, "We will discuss this in private first."

Lees feeling awkwardly outed as socially irrelevant actually whined out the utterance, "but, sir...I..."

Artimus slammed his fist down on the desk and yelled, "Look punk, if you admit to any criminal doings here and now then your a.s.s will be in the brig! You have rights I suggest you use them!" Every face in the wardroom went pale the captain seeing that went pale himself.

In the chiefs mess Chief Brosuer was returning from the vending machine and pa.s.sing out stale doughnuts from the spare locker in the chiefs berthing. Chief Brosuers was 'A real missiles guy, I launch them all the time!' he would say anytime he met someone new and at the conclusion of their meeting he made a point of singing a sea chantey as he walked away. He tossed a small bag of doughnuts to chief Casius and just as they bounced from her hand and hit the deck there was a loud slamming sound. Casius asked, "Do I get the heavy ones because I'm the only girl at the party?" Brosuer replied with a trill in his voice, "No, but you catch like a girl" then pointed at Chief Carl and asked, "What was that?" Chief Carl looked stunned and said, "I didn't hear anything." Chief Brosuer retorted, "Then how'd you know I was talking about a sound?"

Over the 2JV in central was heard, "Central, Aux one...we think the A.C. just seized up but it's still running." said EN3 Mier. In central Hudlow looked for the 2JV mic saying, "That couldn't have been from aux one." Orbly picked up the 2JV mic and handed tried to hand it to Hudlow saying, "Here"

Hudlow continued looking responding with, "That's not what I'm looking for." Orbly asked, "What are you looking for?"

Hudlow replied, "The 1MC mic." Orbly said, "Let me know when you find it." Hudlow said, "Oh wait I need the 2JV mic." and he started looking for that.

In Aux one EN3 Gruble climbed over number one high volume air conditioning unit looking for any signs of damage.

EN2 River looked underneath for any leaks, as he crawled under the AC he heard an 'ouch' from above he asked, "Did you hurt yourself Tommi?" Gruble replied, "I slipped and landed on this cable post...it d.a.m.n near went up my a.s.s." River asked, "You alright?" Gruble replied, "I don't need a doctor but I may cry for a few minutes"

The ship listed heavily to the portside, nearly twenty degrees and remained at that angle for nearly two minutes then shifted slightly back to the starboard side reducing the list to twelve degrees but still rocking port to starboard. The list indicators in central and on the bridge showed the bubble swinging slowly between twelve degrees portside to eighteen degrees on the portside.

With this list Captain Artimus remained higher than anyone else in the room and they appeared to be leaning back away from him in awe, his many years in the navy led to the rocking of the ship to be something that he would subconsciously dismiss but the apparent change in the demeanor of those looking up to him in the wardroom brought a smile to his face that he couldn't suppress. He stood there grinning from ear to ear as he explained, "As we route out this shipboard gang and free up our five point oh sailors to claim their rewards the ship will be better than it ever has been before. We may have to get a little pushy with the whole crew but after we've succeeded they'll thank us for it." Artimus stood there at the highest point on the pitched deck still grinning already smelling the accomplishments he envisioned.

The bow dipped in and scooped up some water, the standard there is fairly straight forward, foam is just a little water, blue water is about as much in an Olympic size pool and then there's green water, 'green water' is a lot of water. As the green water rolled over the foc'sle the ship shuddered with a thud and then the entire ship lunged forward as if pushed by a wave.