Engage at Dawn: First Contact

by Edward Hochsmann

  Sam stared at Simmons without speaking. After half a minute, Sam turned to Ben. “What do you think, honestly?”

  Ben felt an icy ball forming in his stomach, the memory of the fear he felt in the car chase still fresh. After a brief pause, he replied, “I’ll go along with whatever you decide, Captain.”

  “Not good enough, dammit!” Sam shook his head. “I need to know if you can do this. If not, it’s your duty to tell me here and now. This plan is way above and beyond the call. If you aren’t confident in success, I’ll put a stop to it, and nothing more will be said.” He looked at Simmons. “By anyone!”

  Ben blinked and swallowed. He glanced at Simmons, then back at Sam. “I’m in, sir. Let’s finish this thing right. But I have one request before we commit.”

  “Name it.”

  “Chief Drake is already on to something being out of whack on this patrol, and Hoppy will cover for me while I’m ashore. They need reading in to do it right. And Captain, you need the job done right. That’s what it will take to make me confident.”

  “Agree 100%.” Sam nodded and turned to Simmons. “There you go, Doctor. That’s our sine qua non. Take it or leave it.”

  Simmons’s mouth opened and closed, and his face hardened. “All right. But those two are it, agreed? I’m already way over my quota on this.”

  “Agreed. Now you get how I feel.”

  “Do you want me to read them in or be in the room?”

  “No. I know my people and how much I can share. I want them to be able to ask questions and speak frankly without you fidgeting in the room.” He looked at Ben. “We’ll brief them in the sector’s SCIF after we secure from mooring stations. Are you going to be OK taking her in? Remember, you’re still ‘under oath’ here.”

  “I can cut it, Captain. Hell, I can use the distraction at this point.”

  Sam nodded. “Fine. I guess there’s nothing else to say, except, God help us all.” He stood and offered his hand to Simmons.

  Surprised, Simmons stood and shook Sam’s hand firmly. “Thank you, sir.”

  Trumbo Point Annex, Naval Air Station Key West, Florida

  2041 EST, 17 January

  Sam and Ben were walking over to the sector building after preparations for another sortie. Drake and Hopkins had preceded them, having completed the refueling and setting up the charts for the departure, respectively. Ben was used to periods without a lot of banter when hanging around with Sam—friendly as he was, no one would call him talkative—but this silence was thunderous. Ben was sure his CO was having second thoughts about this decision. Finally, Ben couldn’t take it anymore. “It will be OK, sir. We’ve plenty of backup. We have to see it through.”

  Sam continued staring straight ahead as he walked on through the darkness. “Do we? Why us? If this were real, it should be the biggest deal ever. All Hands on Deck. Yet, it’s just us and an unknown number of men in black. We depend on a man who lies for a living. You heard the captain. She as much as said, ‘Yeah, it’s BS, just follow your damn orders.’ Now I will have to sell the mission to Chief and Hoppy without letting on that deep down I think it’s a load of crap.” He glanced over at Ben as they passed under one of the pier lights and noted the grim expression, then smiled, put an arm around his shoulder, and shook it gently. “Sorry XO, this is new for me, and I needed to vent a little. Odds are we’ll come through this with the bosses scratching their heads and the rest of us laughing our asses off that a looney-toon Ph.D. bamboozled them.” Both men smiled as they arrived at the sector building.

  Drake and Hopkins, already waiting in the SCIF, stood up when the two officers entered. “Sit down, please,” Sam said as he closed the door, and both complied while Sam and Ben joined them at the table.

  As Sam opened his mouth to speak, Drake interrupted. “Captain, you’re here to tell Hoppy and me that the ops we’ve been on for the past few days are not a space rock hunt. Also, we’ve somehow gotten mixed up with dangerous people, and the worst is yet to come.” Seeing the two officers glance at each other, he continued, looking straight at Ben. “XO, you need to stay away from spying, politics, and poker tables. You can’t even be in the room with someone bullshitting without breaking out in tells.”

  Ben blushed, and Sam chuckled out loud. “Now Chief, while we ponder whether that is a virtue or a shortcoming for our brave XO, why don’t you tell us what you think you know.”

  Drake turned to Sam. “We come across a drug boat with a kind of damage I’ve never run into before. Next thing, we’re diverted from our patrol, and some IC-type drops out of the sky and takes over. XO goes with him to check something out and comes back as shook up as anyone I’ve ever seen. The next day we stop a yacht with stealth tech being run by a no-shit evil villain lady and set to blow itself up. The finale was that session on the mess deck. Dr. Spook spun this bullshit story about a goldilocks meteor—big enough to smash the hell out of that boat, but not so big that anybody would notice.” He looked at Ben. “Sir, you couldn’t handle just sitting there while you knew that dude was lying to me. And that is a virtue in my mind, by the way.”

  “Right, Chief,” Sam began. “We’ve had to keep the crew in the dark because the information is so sensitive. Well, the situation has changed. We need to read you and Hoppy in if we are going to complete this mission. But before that, you need to accept what I’m going to tell you is as classified as it gets. If you disclose this information to anyone, anytime, you, and likely Mr. W and me, get thrown into Leavenworth. Chief, Hoppy, what do you say?”

  “Yes, sir,” Drake responded. “Let’s have it.”

  “Understood, Captain.” Hopkins nodded.

  “OK,” Sam began and then related the story behind the mission, including the belief their quarry was an alien vehicle. Drake and Hopkins listened throughout with rapt attention, Drake nodding periodically and Hopkins, silent and still with eyes growing wide at the big reveal of the hunt for the aliens. He withheld his and Ben’s doubts about the truth of the extraterrestrial assumption—sharing those would do more harm than good. “So, here we are. Any questions?”

  Drake leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “Captain, if anyone else had told me that tale, I would’ve thrown the bullshit flag, and that would be that. Sorry to put you on the spot, but do you believe a UFO has landed?”

  So much for holding back. “Chief, I honestly don’t know. If I had to lay a bet, it would be ‘no.’ But, with all the weird stuff going on here, I think it’s at least possible. We must run down that possibility. Regardless of what I believe, we have lawful orders, and we will carry them out.”

  “Thanks for the straight talk, sir. I’m with you.” Drake nodded. He paused, turning to Ben. “Besides, I have the human truth detector here backing you up.”

  Sam turned to Hopkins. “Hoppy?”

  Hopkins looked back and forth at the two officers. “OK, Captain. This takes getting used to, but your word will do for me. My question is, why tell us now? What’s changed that we suddenly need to know?”

  “The investigation has shifted from sea-based to shore-based. Dr. Simmons will continue processing the imagery data obtained in the UAV flights. He will work with members of his own team ashore to follow up on leads on the ground the UAVs couldn’t pick up. We’ll remain in the vicinity to provide support since the vehicle is still in the water, if there is one, and they haven’t already departed.” Sam looked at Ben. “We’ll also provide a liaison to Dr. Simmons to keep us in the loop and offer expertise on what a one-ten can do and what it can’t. Mr. Wyporek has volunteered, so I’ll be leaning on you two a lot more while he’s ashore. Hoppy, you will take over the XO’s operational duties. We will stand easy in terms of LE patrolling, both because we’re short-handed, and we have to stay on station in case we’re needed. Chief, you get the admin burden. I need you to look after the crew even closer since I’m down a set of eyes.”

  Drake turned to Ben. “XO, haven’t you been around long enough to learn not to volunteer for stuf
f?”

  Ben mustered his best smile. “C’mon Chief, good sleep, hotel showers, what could go wrong?”

  “Permission to speak freely, sir?” Hopkins interjected, and Ben did not need a psychology degree to tell she was furious.

  “That’s why we’re here.” Sam nodded.

  Hopkins turned to Ben. “Sir, with all due respect, are you out of your damn mind? Pardon my French.”

  “Take it easy, Hoppy.” Ben appreciated her feelings but was surprised by her vehemence. “I’ll be going in eyes open, and we’ll have plenty of backup.”

  Hopkins wasn’t backing down. “Sir, you’re not trained for this. It’s not little green men that scares me; frankly, I think that part’s pure BS. It’s that lying piece of crap Simmons and his drug gangs. You’ve just told me he dragged you into what could have been a firefight. He did it with no notification and probably no more thought than he gave to if he wanted OJ with his eggs. You weren’t in the room staring down that bitch for two hours like Shelley and me. And I wouldn’t trust Simmons any more than I would trust her. Don’t do this! Please, Captain!”

  Ben was about to speak but remained quiet when Sam held up his hand and leaned forward. “Emilia, can you do this job?”

  Her mouth opened and closed, and then she looked down. “Yes, sir. You know I can.”

  “Very well. Your concerns are well-founded. Please believe me that Mr. Wyporek and I have discussed them and others at length. Bottom line: the mission and many lives could depend on clear and correct language at the right place and time.” He turned to Drake. “What about you, Chief? Let’s have it, no holding back.”

  Drake shook his head. “Sorry, Captain, but I’m with Hoppy. I don’t trust anyone who lies right to my face. Ever. Are you sure you want to gamble Mr. Wyporek’s life with this guy, not to mention ours?”

  A slight smile softened Sam’s expression. “OK, I’ll admit that I’m not the good doctor’s biggest fan. But recent experience has moved this decision from the gamble column to the one labeled ‘calculated risk.’ I can assure you I’ll be reassessing that risk constantly as we go along, and the XO will too. If either of us sees anything that changes the game, we’re done. You’ve my word on that.”

  Drake’s grim face did not change, but he nodded. “OK, sir. I can do the job for you.”

  Sam relaxed and leaned back. “OK, guys. Mr. Wyporek always gives it to me straight, even when he knows I won’t like it. I depend on him for that, and I’ll depend on you to do the same, please. Anybody got anything else? No? Let’s get’r done then.”

  They all rose together and stood awkwardly until Drake broke the tension. “Captain’s the last one on and the first one off the boat, sir,” he said with a smile and a motion toward the door with his right arm.

  ◆◆◆

  Ben changed into casual civilian clothes and picked up a weapon “Go Bag.” It contained an M4 Carbine, Sig pistol, several magazines of ammunition for each, body armor, and a combat first aid kit Bryant had put together at Sam’s request. He turned the keys to the locked files over to Sam and then met Simmons down on the mess deck. The agent gazed at the ship’s crest mounted on a plaque on the forward bulkhead. Kauai’s crest comprised the escutcheon of the Kingdom of Hawaii over a fouled anchor with the ship’s motto, Fortiter et Fideliter, across the bottom.

  “Ready, friend?” Simmons asked as he approached. At Ben’s nod, he glanced once more at the plaque. “‘Bravely and Faithfully.’ That’s a damn good sentiment for a unit that has your back.”

  Ben stared at the plaque and was slightly embarrassed that he had never gotten around to looking up the Latin phrase. “Yes, I suppose it is. Shall we?”

  Sam, Drake, and Hopkins were waiting at the brow when the two men approached. Sam shook Simmons’s hand and nodded. “Good luck, Doctor.”

  Receiving a blank expression from Drake, an icy glare from Hopkins, and no offer of a handshake from either, Simmons said to Ben, “I’ll meet you over at the car.” He turned and walked off along the dock.

  Ben turned back to his shipmates and shook first Sam’s and then Drake’s hand. Sam’s grip was firm and prolonged, and he smiled sadly on letting go. Drake’s was equally firm, and he held Ben’s eyes with his and nodded as he looked down on the young officer.

  At her turn, Hopkins pushed his hand aside and hugged him hard, whispering, “Be careful, sir.”

  “Um, I will,” came his stunned reply.

  After she released him and stood back with the others, Ben picked up his bag, faced Sam at attention, and receiving a nod in return, turned to leave the boat.

  After watching Ben get in the car with Simmons and drive off, Sam turned to Drake and Hopkins. “Ready for sea, Hoppy?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Chief?”

  “Ready for sea, Captain.”

  “Very well, let’s set mooring stations and get going.” Sam returned their salutes and turned toward the ladder to the Bridge, followed by Hopkins as Drake turned toward the Main Space hatch.

  15

  Introductions

  U.S. Route 1, 6 miles West of Marathon, Florida

  2213 EST, 17 January

  The car they rode in from Key West had been provided by one of Simmons’s teammates. In it, they found the car keys, directions, and a key for a room at an off-brand hotel in the Key town of Marathon. The two men shared little conversation while Ben drove through the darkness. He was still processing the astonishing reaction of his two enlisted shipmates to his acceptance of the mission while Simmons engaged in cryptic mobile phone communications. Simmons broke the silence about 15 minutes before their arrival.

  “That was some sendoff. For you, I mean, not me. Although it surprised me that your captain’s farewell to me was the warmest.”

  “The bomb-defusing operation gave him cause to recalibrate. He sees the best in people, even those that give him ample reason not to. The other two think you’re playing us and are uptight about my going off with you.”

  “And this surprises you?”

  “The being played part or the other?”

  “The latter.”

  “Kinda. I’m the XO. The arrangement I have with the skipper is that he’s smiling backslapper, and I’m the crabby nitpicker. I don’t seek opportunities to be a dick. But I will do it when the hair or uniform pushes outside the regs, or spaces need policing.”

  “You often get on Hopkins or Drake about that stuff?”

  “Are you kidding? Never.”

  “So, you’re not there to keep them toeing the line. Do you offer expertise to them to help them do their jobs?”

  “It’s usually the reverse.”

  “Really? It doesn’t bother you on some level to ask your inferiors for help?”

  Ben glanced over at him and then returned to the road. “Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “They are not my inferiors; they’re my subordinates. I have authority over them because I’m the XO, not because I’m better than them. Shit, I’ve learned plenty from both of them.”

  “Do all Coast Guard officers think like you?”

  “No, not all of them.”

  “So, let’s continue down your path a bit. You think the world of your CO, correct?”

  “He’s the finest officer and man I’ve ever known.”

  “Would it surprise you to learn he feels the same about you?”

  Ben was at a loss for words and just glanced again briefly at Simmons.

  “Well?” Simmons pressed.

  “There’s no way he told you that!”

  “Friend, I remind you he was about to rip my head off for putting you in danger the other day. I’ve been poking him regularly since I arrived. The only time he went beyond a contemptuous brush off was when I said unkind stuff about you. Given your regard for him and his regard for you, is it that surprising the people who work for you feel the same?”

  Ben continued to stare forwar
d. “Are we there yet?”

  Simmons chuckled. “Ben, I’m sorry to put the microscope on you, but we will be mixing up with real out-of-the-box stuff soon. I won’t have time for explanations or pep talks when things get weird. I know your background pretty well—my outfit has access to that kind of information. You don’t have any tactical experience, other than your car ride with me the other day. The point of all this psychobabble is you will do OK, whatever happens, get me? A bunch of top-shelf people not only like you but trust you. That means something.”

  “You should keep in mind that car chase scared the shit out of me.”

  “I congratulate you on your sanity. Fear in those situations is normal, and fear is always useful when it informs your decisions. Fear’s only a problem when it dictates your actions.”

  “Right. Thanks for the pep talk, Obi-Wan. Are we there yet?”

  “Almost there, young padawan.” Simmons chuckled. “You’ll need to know a few things about my team before we arrive; it’ll make things smoother in the introduction.”

  “Shoot.” Ben was relieved his psyche was finally out of the spotlight.

  “Besides the processing team, we have specialists for dealing with our terrestrial opponents as opposed to our new ‘friends.’ Once we knew the other side was in the game, they deployed forward to cover the analysts. Art Frankle is the lead. He’s an old agency hand, my mentor, or ‘Obi-Wan’ as you put it. Lashon Bell is his partner, not much on conversation, but one of the best tactics guys you’ll run into. Now, on the processing team, we have Steve Newsome, who keeps comms up and is quite a code monkey. He also takes care of our resident genius, Victoria Carpenter, who’s amazing at pattern recognition and math. She can glance at a matrix a full page wide and not only tell you the determinant but any notable quirks in the data. Also, she has mild High Functioning Autism. She’s not OCD, but her frankness is jarring at first.”