by Robert Lyon
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 passageways.”
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 title 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 butter 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 assumed 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 embarrassment 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 Weathercock 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 hell 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 passing out cups of coffee, on one side of the mess it appeared to be passed around like sacrament at the last supper, on the other they passed 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 class
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 class 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 passageway 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 fuck ourselves’ and in one case I was told ‘you have an interesting way of making enemies’, they’ve been getting harassed 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 consideratio
n 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 pissed him off even more.” Artimus cocked his head and then had a revelation, “Oh god, 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 damn 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 bitch, 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 screwing 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 bitch! Please...” he looked around the room as his irritation faded into embarrassment 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 ass 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 passing 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 damn near went up my ass.” 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.
The sea’s stayed rough for the next two days as the ship headed south west more than a thousand miles from the coast of southern Mexico. The weather was fair and the ocean didn’t show any sign of how violent the waters had become, but the ship was in a tortuous throw. Green water across the decks had resulted in the weather decks secured and made off limits.
The USS Paul F Foster had been built in Pascagoula
Mississippi in the early nineteen seventies, construction began
February sixth nineteen seventy three and the ship was launched on the twenty second of February nineteen seventy four. It was listed as a united states navy ship and commissioned as of the twenty first of February nineteen seventy six. The ship had been a home and duty station to over a thousand navy service members for twenty years. Upon its decks walked the future of
America and now she was in need. The ocean, given time will claim all it can reach and fate had been tempted far too long by this grey girl.
The hull began to rumble as the ship cut the seas; the crew was unaware of any danger. The beams began to sing and the intercostal girders provided the percussion, pipe hangers resonated like tuning forks and then like cello strings. It was six p.m.
Chapter Four
Leviathan
The sea was dark and cold the sun had set only moments before and I scanned the horizon for the life rafts, they are des
igned to pop up once the ship has gone down. I struggled to remember how long I had been in the water and what happened as I left the ship.
All I could recall was seeing a whale or a submarine beneath me under the water in realizing it was diving and that was pulling me down, there were air bubbles I swam toward as a crushing pressure caused my ears to ring. Once I reached the bubbles they seemed to just hang there, but the pressure and ringing in my ears subsided, apparently this is how I die. All at once the bubbles started moving up at a faster pace than I could keep up with and I realized the bubbles and I had been rising all along. As the pressure subsided the bubbles grew larger until the popped into smaller bubbles. At one point I actually swam down to get into a bubble and managed a single hissing breath, ready to spit out any water I inhaled, so I chanced another breath as I kept my pace with the rising bubble. Once it popped I figured I must be about to break the surface, as it turned out I was wrong by at least one hundred feet. I swam as hard as I could in spiraling patterns looking for an up current and glanced down to look for more bubbles. The only bubbles rising looked to be a football field’s length away and three hundred feet down. That’s when the dark thing swam away. Once I broke the surface I looked for the ship and didn’t see anything, I had been abandoned, left alone in the middle of the ocean. I felt betrayed and cursed, I realized I never got along with anyone in that back
stabbing crew, and had made a fatal mistake joining the navy. I would die alone on the ocean.
I recalled a particularly bad sinus headache I had in my teen years and how I feel asleep floating on my back in the pool seeking some relief from the pain and concluded I could float for three days. As I went through these emotional throws and realizations it occurred to me I had been hearing someone yelling, “Help!” just as they slipped under the water again. I looked around and saw Athena Williams and Chief Casius,