Part 4: Session Four: This time shall be different
Session 4: This time shall be differentI awaken. I'm in a haze. I scarcely know what I'm saying while I try and recover.
CO: I'll be right down.
XO: Aye, sir.
He can tell I'm out of it. I didn't think his contempt of me could get any higher, but like usual, I was wrong.
I can barely tell what's going on while I make my way to the conn.
Cook: Mornin', Cap'n.
CO: Morning.
Well, except the important parts. *sip*
Master Chief: Captain's on the Conn.
Master Chief: Morning, Captain.
CO: Gentlemen.
XO: Morning, Sir. Mister Wheeler just got this off the VLF Wire.
Very... something... I'll get it eventually.
'Richard Nixon.' Who cares? No one's going to read this anyway.
CO: Ahem. Excuse me.
Wheeler: Oh. Sorry, sir.
Dude, personal space. I know it's a sub, but jeez.
XO: Orders, captain?
Uhh...
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: Let me look this over, then I need to see the two of you, and Mr. foster in the wardroom in five minutes.
XO: Aye aye, Captain.
Master Chief: EYES ONLY usually means the stuff starts heading for the fan.
Oh, I hope not. That fan is the only way my cabin keeps cool.
CO: EYES ONLY: Compromised patrol area Yankee Victor, okay. Seventy-two hours ago, Libyan Kilo submarine effected exit of Med gained open sea. Though tracked by US forces, Kilo has broken contact. Subject sub is believed to be headed north at patrol area Yankee Victor. At present time, threat to your mission and platform is considered slight. You're advised of this developing situation so you may take appropriate action. Disclosure of this message to your officers, men left to your discretion. Continuation of your deterrent patrol considered paramount. All other considerations secondary, SUBLANTS and et cetra etc.
Soon enough, I will have this memorized by rote, just like when I watched a marathon of those Spanish soap operas and started reciting the detergent commercials in my sleep.
XO: You wanted to see me, Skipper?
No, if I had my choice, I'd see some dry land right about now.
---
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: This is a serious as it gets, XO. Our patrol area may be compromised. Take a look at this.
XO: (snorts quietly in disbelief) I worked at the SOSUS listening post at Rota for two years. Subs don't just sneak out of the Med.
Oh, how I used to share your optimism.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: How she got out is anybody's guess. I want a full tactical dump on Kilo class subs and let's brief sonar right away.
XO: I'll tell sonar we're on our way.
He's so embarrassed by me, he doesn't want to be seen in the halls with me.
---
XO: Captain's in sonar.
Why do they always say that when I enter a room? I'd imagine it's because they want to 'look alive' and all that, but they know I couldn't tell the difference. It's probably just to make me feel important, which I suppose I should appreciate. Still, it means they all know how fragile my self image is.
Manyon: Morning, Captain.
CO: Morning, Manyon.
At least I can remember his name. His name reminds me of what makes a perfect BLT: Mayo. And a BLT is a manly sandwich, so 'Manyon'.
Foster: Here are the new charts, sir.
CO: Well done, Mister Foster.
Ooh, my new Farrah Fawcett poster--aw crap, it's just some boring charts.
---
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: We're going to be doing a little hunting, Ensign. That means an increased watch profile. I want sonar on battle stations footing until further notice.
Foster: Yes sir, in that case I believe we'll have to go to starboard and port watch sections.
XO: Do what you have to do. Make it happen.
Foster: Yes sir.
XO: Also, we're going to need a tactical dump. Everything you've got on the Kilo class export boats.
Foster: Excuse me, sir, but the tactical library monitor is down. I can get you a printout as soon as we get it back online.
XO: Very well. Get it to the captain ASAP.
Just smile and nod. Pretend you know what any of that meant.
---
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: Let's go forward. Have the Weapons Officers meet us in the forward torpedo room.
XO: Very good, sir.
Just say "Yes." Why do you have to pretend everything I do is very good, when you know it's not?
Manyon: What's with the old man?
Foster: That's a need-to-know basis, Manyon, and right now, you don't need to know. Okay guys, let's look sharp until I get this thing figured out.
---
The torpedo room. Weapons, explosives... the manliest place in the sub. If I shouldn't be allowed somewhere, I know I shouldn't.
Weps: Good morning, Captain. XO. What brings you to the devil's workshop?
Hey, it's that black guy again. I feel so cosmopolitan.
Dang it, now I want a cosmopolitan.
XO: What're you doing here, Weps?
Wes? Like Wesley Snipes? I loved Passenger 57. See? Not racist.
Weps: Little PMS on the guidance systems. Strictly routine maintenance.
Okay, now you're just messing with me.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: How's your readiness posture, Weps?
Weps: SOP, sir. Warshot loaded in tube 1. Three fish in ready service.
Wait, fish? Like, trained dolphins or something? That seems cruel... but awesome.
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VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: Load two tubes with warshot, and keep your powder dry up here.
I'm so out of shape, I need powder to get into my jammies. I know these jumpsuits aren't called jammies, but I like to pretend they are.
Weps: We'll get on it right now, Skipper.
Wow, he follows my commands without sarcasm or hesitation. He must be too busy to notice my glaring incompetence.
MEANWHILE
Deputy Director Matthews: Deputy Director Matthews.
Plaskett: You are aware the situations here is escalating.
Matthews: I recieved your message.
Plaskett: When are you going to let me tell these people what's really going on?
Matthews: I'll make a decision about discloure in two hours.
Plaskett: In two hours, the USS Idaho might be sunk! She might be on the bottom right now.
Matthews: Two hours, Admiral. I'll contact you.
Plaskett: Those are some pretty big dice you're rolling, Miss Matthews. I expect to hear from you in 120 minutes.
---
XO: Here ya go, Skipper.
Foster: Captain, XO.
Master Chief: Got the nav materials you asked for skip.
I don't see why they bother making it's top secret. You'd have to be some kind of genius to interpret that gobbledygook.
Foster: This is the passage charts, sir. This is patrol area Yankee Victor. Our current position via VLF nav fix is here, waypoint lisa. Our current heading is 045. Our speed is 5 knots.
Wow, no matter what I do, this part pretty much always seems to happen. It must be important.
If only I had the slightest clue what to do.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: I want to get the ship into a position at the extreme southern end of our patrol area.
Foster: Very good, sir. I'll get right on it.
Master Chief: Hold up.
Uh-oh.
Master Chief: How big a hurry are you in, Skipper? You want to haul ass or do you want to sneak in?
Oh, jeez, why do I have to decide everything?
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VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: Sneak us in. I don't want any surprises.
Foster: Very good, Sir.
XO: Aye sir. Have those courses in Main Control five minutes ago, gentlemen.
Master Chief and Foster: Aye sir.
Something's wrong... or is it just my imagination?
Foster: (silently gives Master Chief a mildly upset look)
Master Chief: Welcome to the silent service, Mister Foster
Secret Service? The president is here? Oh, wait, no. Never mind.
---
woooooOOOOoooosshhh
---
XO: Captain.
Foster: Thank you for coming sir. Um, here's the situation. We just pulled the towed array for scheduled maintenance. It's a routine thing, you know; just a few hours of downtime.
CO: Is this going to be a long story, Ensign?
Foster: Well, it's weird. We've got this, like, sound short. It's like an intermittent buzz at 5 hertz. And the volume changes with our speed. When we go fast, it gets louder. When we go slow, it gets softer.
Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. How silly of me.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: Did you try isolating it with the other passive sets?
Foster: The noise is there, Captain. I cross-checked with the other towed array and the WLR-9.
Didn't he say that last time? I don't remember; I always tune him out. Always so negative.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: You said the noise change with speed. Is it some kind of hull effect?
Foster: It doesn't change in pitch or volume when we turn. It's-It only gets louder when we speed up.
XO: When I was on the Cavalla, we snagged a piece of driftnet in one of the saleplanes. Took us a week to figure out what was making that noise.
Always talking about the better submarines he's been on. Always trying to break me down.
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: Do we have a problem, or are we worrying about nothing?
Foster: No, Sir. That signal is way under what anybody plays with.
XO: Sometimes you can't sweat the small stuff, Sir.
Oh, good, then. I won't sweat it. I could use one less thing to worry about.
---
VOTING RESULT: 1
CO: How long would a hull search take?
XO: We'd have to bring the ship to a hundred feet. Minimum.
Foster: And we'd be hanging out in the surface layer, Sir. That's not a real great place to hide.
All the more reason to ignore this.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: I want to lock out a diver, XO. I want a thorough hull search.
XO: Are you sure, Skipper?
I can't him second guessing me in front of the ensigns. Quick, get belligerent!
CO: Do I look like I'm sure?
XO: Alright, I'll notify the conn. We'll conduct a lockout immediately.
---
MEANWHILE
Commander: Hey, take the stick, will ya?
Neff: Okay. I have control. You have the aircraft.
Commander: Man, I knew I wasn't gonna make it 'till dinner.
Commander: Danny, you got anything.
Danny: Nothing bu whales farting, sir.
Commander: What about ELINT? EMCON?
Danny: There's nothing out here, Skipper. Nothing but saltwater. Some cold saltwater.
Commander: Well, we got a couple hours of fuel left. Whatdya say we head in? Drop some sonobouys.
Neff: Fuel's a factor here. We only have two hours left.
Danny: Mister Neff's right, Sir. This is "Patrol Area Bozo." Let's get back to the boat.
Commander: I hate the boat. Let's go hunt us some submarines.
---
Master Chief:How long does a hull search take?
XO: It's a big ship. Master Chief. We've only got one diver out there. It's just going to take as long as it takes.
Cook: Here you go, XO.
XO: Thank you.
Cook: Another cup of coffee, Captain?
Sometimes I think he's the only one here who understands me.
---
VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: Coffee... would be good.
Oh, sweet nectar.
Master Chief: I didn't want any.
XO: *sip* Good.
Hey, that just means more for me. I'm starting to get used to all this good news.
---
Foster: Conn, Sonar.
Not now, Foster. It's coffee time.
XO: Go, Sonar.
Foster: Sir, I'm getting an intermittent pulse at 130.
XO: Are you delcaring a contact?
Foster: Wait a minute- t-t-t-stay with me...
Foster: Damn it! Conn, sonar. Hydrophone effect. Torpedo door event bearing 130. Range 3000 yards.
Hey, no fair shooting us while we're doing a hull search. And during a coffee break, no less.
XO: Officer of the deck, sound the general quarters.
OOD: General quarters, aye.
Ugh, that alarm is so loud... can't it maybe be a bit quieter?
XO: Captain, your orders?
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VOTING RESULT: 2
CO: Deploy Countermeasures.
XO: Officer of the deck, deploy countermeasures.
OOD: Aye, sir.
Foster: Hydrophone effect. Incoming torpedo. Range 2500 yards.
Okay, we should be able to make it.
Master Chief: He's closing on us.
Wait... but that all worked last time.
Foster: Impact in 3, 2...
It's not fair.
XO: Damage control, report!
Master Chief: Torpedo ruptured the hull aft of frame 180. Engineering's taking on water. Ship is settling by the stern. Bowplanes are not answering.
Geez, why go into such detail? Just say we're dead, for Pete's sake.
XO: Emergency blow, all ahead flank.
All ahead where? And what's that even mean? I only hear you say it when we're in trouble.
OOD: Depth continues to increase, Sir. 800 feet. 950. 1000 feet. Combat depth is exceeded, sir.
Eeesh, I don't like that big, deep creaking sound.
XO: I knew I should have gone to flight school.
He just had to get one final shot in at my ego before we died. What a jerk. If I hadn't been feeling so down, I might have been able to at least enjoy the horrible sight the ship rapidly imploding.