New Homeport Island Part 2

After the captain stepped out of the s.p.a.ce there was a general sigh amongst all the officers. Mr. Mormus asked, "Did you all get what he was saying?" and looked around at the officers seated there. With a general affirmative gesture from those officers he continued, "Then one of you is going to have to explain it to me. I have no idea what his point was."

Over the 1MC the word was pa.s.sed, "Relive the watch!"

Now that the crew was...o...b..ard in its entirety the normal watch rotation could be set. Mr. Mormus called down to the quarterdeck to speak to the off going watch and asked Williams to personally verify the captain had received the message for the captain to call the squadron commander. "I'll go see what he is up to sir" was her reply.

The chief's mess received a call from Ens. Dohann, "Tell chief 'Pete', the captain just left the wardroom he's probably on his way down there now." Chief Pete struck a manly commanding demeanor and authoritatively announced to the chiefs, "The old man is on his way down." and seemingly with a sense of purpose and urgency he refilled his coffee cup, glanced at the chiefs and with an obvious sense of confidence and accomplishment slowly strolled back to his seat. The command master chief Hauldbalm added, "The old man is on his way down...well, that's something."

Seaman Williams arrived at the captain's inport stateroom and knocked. "Come in." the Captain said, he was seated at his desk reading a newspaper. Williams asked, "Did you get the message that the squadron commander needs you to call him captain?" The captain looked at her a little surprised about that being the reason for her visit and responded, "Yes. Did he call again?" Williams replied, "No, sir" The captain turned the page of his newspaper and dismissively said, "Let me know when he calls again, thank you." Williams subtly s.h.i.+fted to standing at attention and said, "Yes, sir."

Williams headed down to female berthing to change out of her working blues uniform and into her dungarees. She called the quarterdeck and told them to let her know when the squadron commander called again for the captain. A few of the women were hiding out from the cold, the s.h.i.+p was warm enough but it seems the freeze had made its way into their heads. As Athena left the s.p.a.ce for her work center in her dungarees she flaunted a bit of a strut, she's getting thing done.

Ens. Dohann and Petty officer first cla.s.s Hudlow walked into central they announced to the few of us there that the s.h.i.+p may not get underway today Gsm1 Hudlow said, "The s.h.i.+p may not be getting underway today, it seems the hull having ice crystals forming below the waterline was an exaggerated concern, the Captain is waiting to call the squadron commander." I responded, "Waiting for the squadron commander to call him or the other way around?" Dohann said, "The other way around." Hudlow added, "The weather report said it's just going to dissipate in a day or two."

Over the 1MC the word was pa.s.sed, "Commanding officer, you have a call on the quarterdeck." Athena Williams called the quarterdeck, the petty officer of the watch answered, "h.e.l.lo, sir, you have a call from the squadron commander waiting on the outside line." Athena responded, "Ya, it's me Athena. I told you to call me when that call came." Petty officer Brock replied, "Williams, we can handle it. Get off the phone in case the captain calls." and he hung up the phone.

Captain Artimus put down his newspaper, stood up and adjusted his belt; he put on his working jacket and examined himself in the mirror. He opened his stateroom door and put on his s.h.i.+ps ball cap, then checked himself again in the mirror to briefly admire or perhaps just to make sure, the fretting on the bill of his hat was there, and bright. As he headed down the officers country pa.s.sage way Mr. Mormus stepped into the pa.s.sage way and asked, "So, what'd he have to say?" The Captain smirked and gestured with a raise of his hand and pointing his finger, not unlike an orchestra conductor bouncing his finger to the metronome, and told the X.O., "I'll let you know after I talk with him." and he continued down to the quarterdeck.

In the chiefs mess the Command Master Chief, CMC Hauldbalm, looked around at the chiefs seated in the mess waiting for the captain and said, "I think he may have something else going on...go to work; I'll call you back here if he makes it."

When the captain arrived on the quarterdeck it was nearly the end of the workday. He answered the phone, "This is captain Artimus." The squadron commander Admiral Dufsin replied, "I can tell you're a busy man captain, what I don't understand is why you are not yet underway. I have it on good authority the icy conditions have not changed." Captain Artimus said with a subtle sarcastically inquisitive tone, "I wonder...who that might be?" ADM. Dufsin replied, "That would be... ahh, look captain whatever you're going through today, just get over it. And regarding your apparent paranoia the s.h.i.+p across the pier from you is also in my squadron and they have actually suffered hull damage from this cold. Get it underway." Captain Artimus glanced across the pier at the s.h.i.+p there and said, "I'll get it done admiral."

Captain Artimus hung up the phone and yelled across the pier to the quarterdeck watches aboard the USS Ingraham, "Hey! Is there something wrong with your hull?" They answered back calling out, "Yes sir. We have a crack right around a sea water pipe and it's below sea level. They told us you guys were getting underway so yours doesn't crack too."

Captain Artimus called back, "Let your captain know we're leaving now, and I wish him the best of luck." Those watches aboard the Ingersol yelled back, "I'm sure he'll appreciate that, sir." Boatswains mate third cla.s.s petty officer Brock, standing POOW placed his hand in front of his face scratching his nose and whispered into his sleeve, "I don't think that came out the right way..." and then asked the captain as he left the quarterdeck, "Should we announce 'set the special sea and anchor detail' sir?" The Captain appearing somewhat agitated said, "No, we'll call it from the bridge."

Combat Information central was knee deep in overdue preventative maintenance and many of the s.h.i.+ps communication systems had been taken offline and tagged out in accordance with electrical safety procedures of NAVOSH which is the navy's mockup of occupational safety and health administration.

The duty combat systems officer was in a near panic when he heard there was to be an emergency underway and in his panic he actually said, "We'll have to reschedule it." Captain Artimus was quoted by many sailors present within CIC and just outside the door as saying, 'we should have rescheduled your lobotomy'.

Over the 1MC from the bridge the Captain announced, "This is the Captain, we have a weather related emergency and we are to set sail as soon as possible. Many of you are preforming preventative maintenance and have systems tagged out. We need to restore those systems immediately. There may be a small craft stuck in the weather, a civilian sailboat with a family including young children the coast guard cannot currently reach. This is one of those moments life affords you to prove your valor. Let's get those tags cleared and underway. That is all."

Mr. Mormus stepped onto the bridge and looked at the captain with a degree of concern but then saw a familiar facial response. He then asked the captain, "Friends of yours Captain?" The captain replied, "Ya, it's the USS My Career."

Mormus laughed and said, "Ya I think I saw that one sail by." as he took his seat in the X.O.'s Bridge chair. The captain smiled then glanced out the bridge windows and looking back at Mr.

Mormus he made an exaggerated gesture of ensuring his pants zipper was all the way up.

Seamen Ebony Allick a member of the deck division and of the special sea and anchor bridge crew stepped onto the bridge; she was apparently suffering from cold shock and wasn't wearing a jacket. She grabbed the 1MC mic from its hook in the overhead and keyed the mic, "Now set the special sea and anchor detail." Captain Artimus smiling a huge grin looking over at the X.O. pointed at her with his arm just raised at the elbow and he and the X.O. let out a spasm of laughter and giggles again. And the game was on. Mr. Mormus asked her with a laugh, "On whose order?" Ebony responded, "On his"

pointing back to the captain. The captain replied, "Since when?"

Ebony retorted, "Since...okay, on BM3 Brock's order." The X.O. shrugged his shoulders gesturing as though 'I guess we have to do it then' and the Captain said, "d.a.m.n that guy's a slave driver." Mr. Mormus asked, "Allick, how do you get you're her so straight?" Ebony responded, "I use a straightener" as she ran her fingers over her head checking for stray hairs.

Captain Artimus asked, "Is it electrically safety checked?"

Ebony rolled her eyes and said, "It's a chemical...sir."

As the rest of the bridge crew took their stations the Captain said, "I guess we are getting underway. Quarter master...did the engineers clear their tags?" To which QM2 Koleson responded, "I'd be surprised if those Neanderthals could write their own names, let alone read a tag out sheet." The deck officer Mr. Deakson interjected, "Still p.i.s.sed off that they proved you couldn't find 'l.a.b.i.a majora' on a map or recognize it if you were looking right at it?" And everyone on the bridge laughed. The Captain laughed and leaned in looking at the quarter masters eyes as he became enraged and asked, "What's this then?" Koleson replied, "You ask that every time we get underway...do I really have to tell this story every time?" The captain laughed again and the X.O. said, "You change it a little every time you tell it." To which the Captain added, "We just want you to know where that is in case it's ever relevant."

Over the squawk box came the word, "Bridge, Central control; engineering is manned and ready." QM2 Koleson went to the Squawk box and keyed it, "Central, Bridge...Manned and ready aye." The captain sat in his chair and struck his usual leisurely pose. Ltjg. Deckly went out to the bridge wing to observe the mooring lines being pulled in and the sh.o.r.e power cables as well as the fresh water and sewage hoses being removed.

At the Aft sh.o.r.e power connection on the fantail EM1 Haydel was disconnecting the sh.o.r.e power with the a.s.sistance of a few other electricians' mates. "I wonder why where getting underway this late..." said Fireman Ruaza. Haydel responded, "Just to make sure I have a c.r.a.p day." Ruaza laughed as he moved the disconnected sh.o.r.e power cables back to the pallet and tied them down. Ruaza said, "We getting another gyno today, Haydel?" She paused from her work to flip him off and said, "Just me; but your welcome to join in."

Branson was walking the weather deck forward from the fantail and warned Seamen Melad, "Don't slack the mooring lines to much, the engineers are still s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around." Melad glanced at her line and retorted, "I'll leave it like this. Which ones are s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around now?" Branson said, "The HT's can find a spanner wrench to disconnect the sewage line, they said they've already closed the valves and can't discharge to the sea yet...so we'll be full of s.h.i.+t in no time." As Branson lingered, glancing at the remaining mooring lines Melad asked, "Did A- gang get the fresh water disconnected?" Branson dismissively replied, "Ya, those guys work." and with that Branson proceeded forward to the foc'sle.

The crane boom sw.a.n.g 'round to the fantail to pick up the pallet with the sh.o.r.e power cable ends tied to it. As Haydel and Ruaza discussed the finer points of Murphy's Law, and the line handlers on the pier were anxiously waiting for the s.h.i.+p to get underway so they could get out of the cold. It was a swarm of pea coats on a snowy white backdrop, all befuddled by the cold.

The Icicles hanging from the aft five inch gun barrel, mount 52, was a testament to how cold it really was, sailors daunted by the concept of getting underway just at the end of the workday because it was too cold to stay in port. With red noses and s.h.i.+vers they would claim, "This isn't cold." an accurate depiction of the impetuousness of youth.

From the bridge wing the deck officer called in to the captain seated in his chair, "All lines are away, sir." The captain replied, "Okay." The conning officer retorted, "Very well, all lines are away, aye." The captain responded, "Conn. one third ahead, take her as she goes." He then paused a moment and added, "I'll be in my stateroom." As he left the bridge SN Allic commented, "He'd going to sleep earlier than usual and in his rack instead of his chair?"

As the s.h.i.+p pulled away from the pier there was the usual low rumble with the s.h.i.+p being so shallow, the wake behind the s.h.i.+p splattered throwing around white foamy water and creating whirl pools that danced in pirouette around the pier stanchions dodging observation until the wake drags them further out to sea where they dissipate. From the steam lines on the pier fog rolls under the pier and the air flow pattern is visible; tunnel like swirls that match those beneath the water there in the wake.

Over the 1MC was the word was pa.s.sed, "s.h.i.+ft colors...underway" As the bridge watch was turned over to the oncoming watches, a process that took about ten minutes the word 'secure from special sea and anchor detail' was pa.s.sed.

For the duration of the special sea and anchor detail Gsm3 Mitch Hackel had been at the oil distribution box in the event of hydraulic failure of the pitch control system of the controllable reverse pitch propeller he would be called upon to take manual control. That station was notorious for finding the watch asleep, Hackel as well as myself suffered from sleep disturbance leaving that watch station to us. We alternated every time we set sea and anchor to prevent fantasies of suicide.

Mitch walked up the steep s.h.i.+ps stairwells referred to by sailors as 'ladders' and went to the boiler flat to find FN. Nueme looking for rags to preform 'wipers' a wiping down of the s.h.i.+ps machinery throughout the aft engine room. "Hey, Hootie" she said to Mitch, "you seen any rags?" Mitch took a rag out of his pocket and tossed it at her. She caught it and checked it for stains then laughed and said, "Thanks but that isn't enough.

Where's the bail of rags?" Mitch reacted to her calling him 'hootie' with a stunned gaze and then broke out into a rendition of 'let her cry-by Hootie and the blowfish' and walked away.

Nueme sounded out as Mitch headed to the fantail for a smoke break, "I'll take that as an 'I don't know.'" and she chuckled again. Nueme had a nice figure, always had her hair straightened and pulled back into a scrunchy. She had most of the att.i.tudes of a nineteen year old boy trapped in a woman's body...but has been trapped there so long he just came around and got with the program. Most of the s.h.i.+ps female sailors had this persona to an extent.

Nuema was standing Engine room monitor taking readings and wiping up any oil leaks or condensate, her patrol or 'rounds' took her throughout the three level engine room as well as the generator flat, to stations further aft. Shaft alley is where the stern tube seals are located the shaft penetrations through the hull, the line shaft bearing there has had a signal problem with its thermal couple and the bearing temperature occasionally gives a false high temp alarm. GSM3 Joey Dipree was standing Engine room operator as his special sea and anchor detail position and was not relieved by Mitch.

"Nuema...!" Dipree called out just as she stepped down to the Console level. She responded, "Bearing temperature again?"

Dipree smiled pleased that once again she shows up just as he needs her and says, "Ya, check it out please." As she heads back toward the ladder to make her way up and out of the s.p.a.ce she called back, "One bravo lube oil pump's mechanical seal is leaking by real bad again too and Lyon said not to risk my fingers wiping up around the shaft...nearly got Hackel's fingers about a week ago." Dipree responded, "Ya, we'll fix it later."

In C.i.C. the maintenance rush was finis.h.i.+ng, circuit cards found to be out of calibration were left in place with the unexpected underway. The systems were active but faulty.

Captain Artimus was present as they threw the cards back into their racks in their consoles. When informed the 'gear my not respond' he commented, "Well, you're still not as bad as engineering."

The s.h.i.+p was cutting the waters as the wind sea's produced white caps all around us flying toward the straights of Juan De Fuca. With out having left Puget sound the s.h.i.+p was already listing up to fifteen degrees in a gentle roll from port to starboard, and the cras.h.i.+ng of the breakwater at the bow was heard as thunder thuds as far back in the s.h.i.+p as the forward berthing compartments. We expected 12 foot swells, tool boxes we're being thrown across the s.p.a.ces in the machinery rooms and manuals were raining down from bookshelves above desks in the office s.p.a.ces.

In central the chief engineer had kicked the engineering officer of the watch from the E.O.O.W. chair to ride the swells there, the same type of chair as the Captain and X.O.'s chair...and according to the supply catalogues in reality they were just barber's chairs. The EOOW Mr. Lees stood at the stanchion pole next to the EOOW chair holding on to it for dear life and he figured he was closer to the squawk box giving him communications with the bridge anyways. The Propulsion and auxiliaries control console operator sat in a mounted chair before his console, it was a comfortable chair or all who slept in it claim it to be and had a race car like feel to it. The PACC operator GSE1 Orbly mentioned to the EOOW, "Still getting compressor surges on G.T.M. two alpha." Mr. Lees responded, "Is it a bad indication? Have we figured that out yet?" Orbly said, "Gillis, is still looking...I'll check." Orbly picked up the sound powered phone mic and called over the amplified 2JV circuit, "Forward engine room...Gillis! What's wrong with G.T.M. 2A?" Gsm2 Gillis responded over the 2JV which called out from the speaker in central, "Nothing, it must be your console."

Gillis stood starring at his console rereading the same indications waiting for something he recognized. Gsm3 Tinnel was standing engine room monitor, he brought his log readings to Gillis for review before the EOOW's review. Tinnel asked, "Is that right?" as he pointed to the 'Blow in door open' indicator light. Gillis replied, "Central didn't say anything about it, and I'm not going up to the intakes in this weather. Are you volunteering?" Tinnel laughed and said clearly, "No."

Ice had formed over demister pads that help prevent water from being sucked into the s.h.i.+ps gas turbine engines, there was also a wash s.p.a.ce referred to as a 'plenum' with a deck drain.

The Ice on the demister pads had caused the differential pressure to rise high enough to cause the blow in door to open and preventing the loss of airflow from choking out the engines. In the current sea state, being on the weather decks at any level of the s.h.i.+p was hazardous, the cigarette smoking however could not be interrupted and many crew members still ventured out to the fantail the lowest point of the s.h.i.+p and some found their way to the starboard break, an enclosed section just below the bridge wing. Ice had formed on the hand rails and Icicles were dangling down, seemingly soon to be projectile shards that would be carried by the sea spray right into the body of the sailors risking the weather for their dose of nicotine.

The forward engine room had enough water in the bilge from the deck drain in the intake plenum that the engine room personnel were succ.u.mbing to sea sickness, seeing it slush in the bilge, despite their years at sea.

Just aft of the forward engine room was the auxiliaries s.p.a.ce 'AUX1' the cricking sound in the hull was amusing to some a throwback to the wooden s.h.i.+ps of the old navy, but not to young Mike Elper. He was a third cla.s.s enginemen; "trained by the navy for the navy's exclusive use." was his catch phrase.

How he managed to actually have a catch phrase and not be a cartoon character is something we never really understood. He was on watch as the Auxiliaries monitor, taking readings on the reverse osmosis desalination plant was his 'favorite part'; another catch phrase of his. As he checked around explaining to the other enginemen they needed to remain a quiet as possible because he needed his 'super hearing' to find that sound as the man currently responsible for the s.p.a.ce. He crawled through the bilge over and under piping some of which was very hot, some of which was freezing cold, searching for the sound. He repeated to himself and anyone still listening to him, "What the h.e.l.l is that?"

The squealing sound from the bilge did alert some of the other enginemen and EN3 Rich joined the search, as it turned out the squealing sound was Mike squeezing under a pipe he should have crawled over instead of under. As they moved toward number four electrical distribution switchboard the creaking sound became louder and more of a cracking sound.

Mike was looking directly at a hull penetrating pipe, a sea water discharge pipe just as the cracking sound became a crack. A radial crack around the pipe just downstream of a b.u.t.terfly valve, Mike and En3 Rich were showered with sea water hitting them with the full force of a fire hose. At a rate of one thousand gallons a minute at a pressure of forty five pounds per square inch, En3 Rich was knocked to the deck, Mike Elper Enginemen third cla.s.s of the United States Navy took a semi-kneeling position and looked across the s.p.a.ce out and over number four generator to EN3 Gruble and with a grimace yelled to her, "Abandon s.h.i.+p!" EN3 Gruble with the index finger of her left hand pointed directly into her left ear and said, "What..? I can't hear you."

Mike looked at her astonished and chilled to the bone by the freezing water and with new warmth to his blood raised by rage said, "Look b.i.t.c.h, you see all this water? I said 'Abandon s.h.i.+p!'" Gruble shook her head and shrugged and replied, "Come over here so I can hear you."

Mike looked over at Rich with a hysterical expression on his face and with eruptions of laughter said, "I'm trying to save the b.i.t.c.hes life and now I'm gonna kill her for f.u.c.king with me"

Rick was still in cold shock, the only reason he could see EN3 Elper is he was standing in the water flow obstructing it while leaning in to make eye contact with rich. There was a small amount of oil on the deck and combine with the water and the effect of the cold on Rich's muscle rich was unable to move out of the way or stand up. As Elper broke into a run with the intention of cold c.o.c.king Gruble he slipped on the deck and nearly knocked himself out. He struggled to his knees and crawled out of the water spray. Pointing behind him he said, "Do you see that!? Do you see that!!?" Gruble looked at him befuddled unable to comprehend what was effecting them so badly. Recognizing the look of astonishment and lack of comprehension he said to her with a look of defeat, "Get on the 2JV and tell central" he pointed at himself repeatedly, "that I said to abandon s.h.i.+p." Gruble looked again at the water entering the s.p.a.ce and pointed at it. Elpers laughed again and said, "Oh you see it now do you? Look b.i.t.c.h I am senior to you, call abandon s.h.i.+p over the 2JV; that is an order!" Gruble covered her face with her hand and shook her head. As she moved to the 2JV mic Elper laughed, "Ya, you're a stupid b.i.t.c.h...haha, haha...you're a stupid b.i.t.c.h". His eyes were tearing up he knew he was stuck there and defeated. Gruble had made her way over to the 2JV mic and called to central, "Central, Aux 1...Elper says to abandon s.h.i.+p." Central called back and was heard through the amplifier, "haha, Why?" Gruble replied, "Were flooding in aux1." Central called back with a serious tone, "How bad?" She looked again at the water coming into the s.p.a.ce and as she replied she tilted her hand back and forth, "About...one hundred gallons a minute."

Elpers yelled, "A hundred gallons a minute!? f.u.c.king look at that you stupid b.i.t.c.h!" and he turned around lying flat on his b.u.t.t and saw Rich slipping on the deck trying to get out of the water flow it almost looked as though he were trying to swim on top of a water bed with a shower raining down on him. Elper looked back at Tommi Gruble and said, "Oh...nevermind" and looking as though he were watching a baseball game on t.v. and asking his wife a random question he looked back at Gruble and said, "You sure that's a hundred gallons a minute? Looks like more..." Gruble replied, "I'm just guesstimating." Eplers glanced back now obviously in the euphoria and de-realization of cold shock and trauma, "Okay. The DC-men coming?"

Having heard this traffic on the 2JV I headed to the s.p.a.ce as I reached the bottom of the ladder I surveyed the scene. Rich doing the breast stroke in a shower, Elper at a greatful dead concert sitting in the cheap seats, and Gruble waiting for the crosswalk sign to change were what I first noticed. Then I noticed the water spraying onto number four switchboard. I shook my head and with a degree of irritation I asked, "Is anyone going to deflect that to the bilge?" Elper and Gruble responded in unison, "Go ahead."

"Did he just say that because I'm in the EOOW chair?" Lt.

Capes asked. Ensign Lees looked down at his shoe and clearly but apologetically said, "Yes." Lt. Capes laughing in response said, "Oh, f.u.c.k you." and hopped out of the chair. Mr.Lees climbed into the chair and with a dutiful look gave the chief engineer a two finger salute and rotated the chair facing the propulsion console. Mr. Capes with a surprised look turned and left the s.p.a.ce saying over his shoulder, "Well, steady as she goes ensign." Lees responded, "Central Aye."

Out the port side door and forward down a short pa.s.sage way lead to the engineering office s.p.a.ce, the log room. Mr.

Capes poked his head around the corner and saw all the tech- manuals had fallen from their book cases and released the years of dust stored atop them as well as just within their pages. Ens.

Spayner sat at her desk rubbing her head and Swishzel was trying to look too busy to clean up the mess. Lt. Capes utter to himself, "No way am I going in there."

Captain Artimus received a call on the bridge from Senior Chief Rickley of Aux. Division, "Sir, we have a problem."

Captain Artimus replied, "Who is this and why can't you idiots call me Captain?" Rickley responded with a degree of irritation, "Well, Captain this is Surface warfare specialist; Senior Chief Petty Officer Enginemen Rickley, United states Navy and I do call you Captain; Captain." Artimus clenched his fist and glanced at the deck officer who was looking at him with a wide grin waiting for the next comical retort. Captain Artimus looked back to the phone and seemed to consider just hanging up but then said, "Okay...other than you, what is our problem?"

Rickley responded, "Well sir, it's not supposed to be a Monday again but it apparently is..." Artimus interjected, "Okay what s.p.a.ce are you in? Be prepared for me to beat your a.s.s, and if someone has taken us across the international date line without my permission or knowledge I will more than make up for the a.s.s beating you are about to receive." Rickley replied, "AUX 1" and abruptly hung up the phone.

I tied a rag from my pocket on the crack in the pipe preventing it from spraying on the switchboard then helped EN3 Rich to his feet, he walk away as though he were walking on ice.

Elper said with an arrogant flare, "Well genius, you got that much right..." then shrugged with a smug look on his face, "but, now what?" I asked, "Did you say genius?" He said, "Ya, ya, you're a geinus..." and I looked down and tried to act as though I were in shock and said, "The department of energy aren't here are they? ...I...I really don't want to go back to area fifty one." then I slowly looked up at Elper. It was exactly the response I had hoped for...he was stunned. I then said, "Now, I need the portable arc welder brought down and I'll stick weld it until were in port then a s.h.i.+pyard guy can check it." He pointed at the ladder and scoffed, "you expect us to get that down that ladder !?" I replied the mounted one in the pa.s.sageway has extra-long leads so they reach down here. I need the grounding clamp and the stick clamp, some sticks and gloves...and don't let me forget the goggles or mask; flash blindness sucks."

Rich called out to me, "How about just a soft patch until the HT's get down here." I said, "If they get down here before we pull into port I'll ask." Elper looked over at Rich with a rea.s.sured look and said, "He's right...where the f.u.c.k are they?"

He turned to me and said, "I'll get you the gear."

As Elper started to ascend the ladder he stopped and took a step back, Senior chief Rickly came down the ladder enraged and yelled at me from across the s.p.a.ce, "You fix it yet!!?" Elper tried to calm him and said, "I'm getting him the gear." Just then Captain Artimus came down the ladder at a slightly faster pace than the senior chief did and asked Elper, "Where's your senior chief?" Elper pointed at Rickley and said, "He's right there, sir"

As senior chief Rickly turned Captain Artimus blindsided him with a right hook and tackled him. As they exchanged blows the Captain yelled, "I ain't playin'!" Elper shrugged and shook his head and looked to me and said, "Maybe you should just go..." I replied, "I've seen this s.h.i.+t before, just get me the gear dude."

Elper nodded and said mostly just to himself, "You've seen this s.h.i.+t before...you've seen this s.h.i.+t before...I'll just get you the gear then." Elper made his way up the ladder and I fetched a mop. I through down some rags to wall up the continuing water flow and did what I could to make sure no splashes or slos.h.i.+ng got into the switch board. Captain Artimus and Senior Chief Rickly ended their 'tussle' and retreated behind the HVAC to discuss the situation in privacy.

Down the ladder came HT1 Hefter he was guiding his work shop in bringing down the arc welder for the machine shop. He asked me, "You gonna weld it or do you want me to do it?" I replied, "I'll do it." Hefter laughed and said, "Ya right... where is it?" En3 Hadsey coughed from behind Hefter and said, "It's the pipe with all the water coming out of it." I stepped aside and pointed to it. Hefter was at the bottom of the ladder which enters the s.p.a.ce at about the centerline between where I was and he was there was the opening in the deck for number four generator, hand rails edge the opening, he steadied himself at the handrail and asked, "How am I supposed to get this over there and how do you plan to stop the water for the welding?" I said, "I was waiting for the leads from the welder mounted in the P- way and we have to weld it with the water still flowing, the valve is already closed." Hefter said, "Wielding against water pressure...okay, I guess you can do it." He tossed the leads over and the gloves, he asked where the wielding mask was since Elper had just retrieved it from the shop. I continued to set up for the wielding as I asked, "When did Elper pick it up? You got here before he did?" Hefter replied, "About five minutes ago; but I told him his chief would have to get him some sticks...I didn't know what the h.e.l.l he was doing...I'm not sure I know what the h.e.l.l you're doing."

A few moments later after calling for Elper over the 2JV he came down the ladder mask in hand and said he'd been looking for some 'sticks' but no one knew what he meant and he didn't know what else to call them. Hefter and I both replied, "Rods?" simultaneously. Elper wiped his forehead while shaking his head and said slowly and forcefully, "Help me ... Help you...Help me!"

Over the 2JV's amplifier rang out the words, "Forward engine room; High Vibes number two alpha G.T.M." The Captain and Rickly poked their heads out from around the HVAC and looked over at Hefter and called out, "What'd they say?" Hefter shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I just work here. Lyon what'd they say?" I replied, "high vibes two Alpha G.T.M." The captain walked over to the 2JV mic and senior chief Rickly stepped back behind the HVAC again. Artimus waited for a response as did the central watches which called out again, "Forward engine room, central...High vibes two alpha G.T.M." A moment pa.s.sed and the 2JV cracked, "Forward Aye." The captain called out to me and Rich still dealing with the flooding and said, "Fix this!" I responded, "Yes sir." and Rich did a double take and also said, "Yes sir." The Captain headed up and out of the s.p.a.ce pausing on the ladder for the upward pitch to cease and the downward pitch to begin. I snickered, "Some days, it's all uphill."

In the forward engine room GSM3 Tinnel and GSM2 Gillis stood at the local propulsion console watching the edge wise meter needles dance. Gsm3 Cardel was checking out the lube oil storage and conditioning a.s.sembly glancing through the 'bulls- eye' sight gla.s.s looking to see if the level was dropping. Gsm3 Washam and Kresney, were climbing over the main reduction gear casing wiping up oil to look busy. Central again called the forward engine room, "Forward, Central...status of G.T.M. two alpha?" Gillis replied by keying the 2JV mic, "Central, Forward high vibes G.T.M. two alpha." Orbly s.n.a.t.c.hed the 2JV mic from Mr.Lees and keyed it, "Forward, Central!" Orbly's voice crackled and rattled in frustration, "...investigate and report!"

In Aux1 the wielding had begun, "just a quick emergency wield", I said. Elper smiled a sarcastic smile and said, "And, that is why you're here Lyon...I mean this wielding thing too, but listen to those dumb a.s.ses on the 2JV." I coughed out a forced laugh and said, "Ya, I'm trying to block it out. I'll take one thing at a time today."

GSM1 Hudlow's voice came over the 2JV amp, "Lyon, are you in forward engine room?" Gruble responded, "No, he's wielding the cracked pipe in AUX 1." Hudlow responded, "I'm hoping you said 'cracked pipe' and not 'crack pipe'...why is Lyon wielding?" Gruble called out to me, "what do you want me to say?" I replied, "Tell him I'm handling it" Gruble keyed the mic, "He's handling it" Hudlow responded, "what about forward engine room?" Gruble replied, "He's already handling the flooding, do you do anything Hudlow?" Lees' voice came over the 2JV saying, "The captain is in the forward engine room."

GSM1 Hudlow, in the log room, was reviewing man hour reports from years before that were found under the electrical division officers desk, he turned and looked at his division officer Ens. Dohann and said, "The captains up there...you better get up there, sir." Ens. Dohann was reviewing the preventative maintenance schedule completion reports and contrasting them against personal training records. Dohann looked up slightly from his task and froze in contemplation of how to respond to Hudlow's comment. Hudlow shrugged his shoulders and went back to browsing through old paper work and said as though he were talking to the coffee stains on the pages,"...Well, they said the captains up there." Dohann coughed and cleared his throat, shook his head and went back to doing his job.

Hudlow picked up the 2JV mic and keyed it, "Forward, where's the captain?" Tinnel voice came across the amplifier, "He's up here." Hudlow looked over at Dohann and said, "Ya, he's up there...so..." Dohann set down his paper work and adjusted his position in his chair like a talk show host settling in and said, "Ah...GSM1, I want you to go up there as quickly as you can, and ask the captain... personally...if he needs your help." Hudlow looked as though he just lapsed out of a day dream and responded, "I...ah, okay."

In Aux1 I had completed the weld and reopened the valve.

The forward engine room called over the 2JV, "Hudlow, why were you looking for the captain?" I said to Rich, "When it rains it pours." Clarkson's voice called out over the 1MC, "Commanding officer, contact the bridge." Then over the 2JV Lees voice called out, "Forward, central high vibes shutdown on G.T.M. two alpha; investigate and report. Stand by monitor start G.T.M. two bravo."

Over the 2JV Gillis replied with an enraged voice, "The captain is down here!" to which Orbly nearly instantly called out from central on the 2JV, "Report it to central jack a.s.s!" The Captain stood with Gillis in front of the local control console and with a chuckle he gestured behind him to the 2JV amplifier with his thumb and said, "Ya, report it to Central too."

There was a whirling howl, a screaming of demons in h.e.l.l...the s.h.i.+p was smacking the break water slamming the bow and listing ten to fifteen degrees at a four/four time, absolutely rock and roll. The screaming gas turbine reached an unsustainable pitch and rather than give way it instead increased its pitch. Gillis's shoulders were up around his ears and his eyes wide, the captain looked at him startled and said, "Isn't that a normal start?" Gillis replied with a cagey demeanor, "Ya...yes, sir."

The Captain took a step forward toward the console with his sea-legs a little delayed and gestured at the consoles indicators and said, "What is it you're supposed to be watching here?" Gillis was locked up in performance anxiety, he couldn't utter a word and the engines howl has always struck he as the worst moment of his life. This was pointed out by several of his s.h.i.+pmates and his reply was always, "you know how the say the most dangerous part of the flight is the takeoff and landing...that's the takeoff."

Before he could answer the Captains question the s.h.i.+p pitched in against a swell and green water came across the bow listing to starboard throwing Gillis into the Captain's arms.

Gillis uttered, "I'm gonna p.i.s.s myself." the captain pushed away from him but they were bound together by their own weight on the tilting deck and their mutual desire to not be thrown down to the generator flat landing on their faces. Washam was descending the ladder down to the PLCC level and was thrown to his knees; he picked himself up and saw the embrace between the Captain and Gillis. Washam said, "Well that hurt my knees like h.e.l.l...but, it turns out it was totally worth it." and with a huge 'cat and canary grin' glanced up the ladder for any other witnesses that might make it down in time. Gillis looked back and saw Washam's grin and instantly blushed, and upon realizing he was blus.h.i.+ng he looked at the captain apologetically and tried to pull his way up the slanting deck. Gillis told the Captain in an embarra.s.sed whisper, "It'll pitch the other way in a second." and turned around to prevent seeing that look on the Captains face. As the Captain realized Gillis was turning around he considered throwing himself down to the generator level, but that level has diamond deck plates instead of a continuous metal deck and he decide against it and with a high pitched squeal he uttered, "I'll never pay you alimony."

GSM3 Washam collapsed in uncontrollable laughter as the s.h.i.+p did as Gillis predicted, it proved that it does go both ways.

Gillis and Artimus braced themselves better as the s.h.i.+p rolled back to its portside, and saved themselves another 'sailor's moment'. Hudlow scrambled down the ladder and looked at Washam and said, "At least I can stay on my feet" then timed his movements with the movement of the s.h.i.+p hurtling himself forward and blurted out to the Captain, "Sir, can I help you?"

The Captain looked to his left and saw Hudlow and Washam standing their Washam was laughing himself to tears and Hudlow had an anxious and eager demeanor. Artimus checked his pants zipper and said, "You're not my type." Tinnel came down the ladder to the PLCC level and glanced around...it was official, the Captain felt crowded. The expression on Artimus's face was unmistakable, it was the 'only white guy in the bar' look and in order to break the tension Tinnel said, "Meanwhile back in the bat cave." Captain Artimus pushed his way back to the ladder to head out of the s.p.a.ce; pale and in a cold sweat he said to Tinnel as he left, "Stay away from my cave."

We had secured all the gear from the flooding and I headed back to the aft engine room. As I descended the ladder the s.h.i.+p jutted to the portside and pitched up sharply I lunged toward the I-beam and grabbed the foam cover meant to prevent a head knocker and waited for my center of gravity to become my center of gravity again. I continued down the ladder and made my way to the boiler flat just as Nueme was coming up the ladder from the PLCC level.

Nueme said, "Hey, been looking for one of you guys." I smiled and said, "Sounds good let's do that." and she replied, "Ya...right. Well I need help with this PMS check." and she handed me her preventative maintenance card. It detailed the replacement of the Mil-spec 2190 lube oil filter on the generator.

I glanced at it and said, "Which part?" She replied, "I don't know where it is and Mitch said to get you to help me. He stopped me from doing it the way Hudlow said to. He wanted me to pull the pump off." I responded, "No, you do have to open the sump cover, but not pulling the pump off." Nueme looked at me with disgust trying to discern whether or not I was messing with her and asked, "Sump cover?...Maybe I should just get Mitch." I said, "I'll show you." She continued with a blank stare while nodding her head and said, "Ya, I'll check with Mitch."

I looked at her dismayed that she apparently thought I was clueless, and I asked her, "Something I don't know about this?"

She looked down at her card as dismayed as I was and took a step in toward me, leaned in with her face right to mine and said, "There's a lot you don't know about a lot of things." I squinted and leaned in and responded, "I don't know who you've been talking to...about what I know and don't know, but ah... I just do the job and you don't want to get pulled into their games. So, I'll show you where that filter is."

She nodded and blurted out, "Under the sump cover...ya.

Okay" I said, "Let me grab some rags" we headed down to the generator and grabbed some tools from the tool box we kept there and began disconnecting the lube oil suction from the sump. Nueme said, "That's like what Hudlow said to do..." I replied, "You have to disconnect this small pipe because the plate under it is the sump cover." Nueme's eyes widened a little and she said, "Oh...I thought you meant the one underneath." I chuckled and said, "No not that one...I guess that's why you thought I was clueless." She let out a fake laugh and said, "You still clueless."

Hudlow came down to the generator flat and said, "Hey I told you I didn't want her getting her hands dirty." Mitch walked up and stood beside him and did the tough guy nod as he wiped his hands with a rag. I said, "Because she's a girl?" and he replied, "Because she can't get any blacker look at her hands now!" he said with a laugh. I retorted, "You f.u.c.king racist."

Hudlow took on a blank stare and said, "I only like black guys.

I'm not a racist...I'm a s.e.xiest"