by J.R. Bowles
* * *
They had been underway for several hours when the message came. They had been ordered back to port. The tanker that had supposably been on fire wasn't; it had been a hoax.
Jackie reread the message she had copied. The Captain was going to go ape shit. She repeated the message over the radio to the District office and they verified her copy. They had been ordered back.
Jackie practically ran to the Bridge, up the ladder from the radio shack.
“Permission to enter the Bridge?” She requested so loud it even shocked her. She didn't care. They would be heading back, and would be in before ten tonight.
“Permission granted,” The Captain said.
“Captain, I have a message from the district.”
The Captain read the message silently. “You verified this, Petty Officer Harris?”
“Yes ma'am,” she answered.
“Very well. Helmsman, we are returning to port. Come around slowly to 047.
“Aye, aye,” the helmsman replied. “Right slowly to 047, ma'am.”
“Mr. Clair, tell the crew we are returning to port. I'm going down to my cabin if you need me. Mr. Clair has the con.”
Jackie heard the crew cheer as Mr. Clair piped their return, and she returned to the radio shack for the remainder of her watch.
Jackie told her junior petty officer she was going to chow and he had the watch. She would be back in thirty minutes. She hadn't eaten all day, but then that wasn't new.