All
Things Work Together
By
Mary Elliott
Thanks to my beta Helen for her encouragement and
many helpful suggestions, including the title to this story.
This story picks up right from the end of LETTERS but it can stand alone.
Chapter One
At first Captain Crane had not wanted to undertake
the rescue mission. The boat had been damaged when a new system being tested
for the Navy failed, causing problems with maneuvering; the result was hitting
some large underwater rock formations. After disconnecting the new equipment,
restoring maneuvering, and making temporary repairs, Lee knew the boat could safely return to Pearl Harbor. That was not to be when
civil war broke out in Venazil. Seaview, having
been the closest vessel, was pressed into service by President Powell to remove
Dr. Glass’s team and any other US citizens while providing assistance in any
way possible without involving the US military. The UN medical ship Hope, already en route to aid the famine and disease stricken country, would
relieve Seaview upon arrival.
Barely recovered from a devastating earthquake and
now faced with a growing famine had proven too much for the beleaguered
country, and Civil War had erupted. There had been charges of corruption by the
government located in the southern province. The most militant of guerrillas
had repeatedly attacked the small village where the Heyward Foundation clinic
was located. These forces claimed the clinic was really an American ploy to spy
on the rebels. The villagers bravely hid the American medical team until Seaview arrived to extract the surviving
members. It was during this rescue Chip had been attacked by the infected
monkey. Now the poisonous bite was killing his best friend and adopted brother.
Why the hell hadn't the government informed them about the outbreak among those
monkeys?
For the last
several hours Lee had sat at Chip’s bedside in turn teasing, ordering and
begging him to wake up. He had only left for a few moments to return to his own
cabin for his notebook. Resuming the sick bay vigil he wrote his letter.
Dear God,
You know that Chip is a good man, a loyal
friend, and if ever a person deserves to live it is Chip. I want to be selfish
and ask you to save him; I don't know what I'm going to do without my best
friend, my brother. When I was young and started writing to you, I didn't think
you had always answered my prayers. Later when I grew up I realized that
sometimes the answer had been no. If this is one of those times, if you are
calling my friend home to Your loving arms, I ask you
to show me some compassion. Let him awaken from his coma, just for a little
while. I need to tell him what he has meant to me, how my life has been made so
much better with him in it. I need to tell him I love him. I need to say
goodbye.
Please
God please.
He put down the pen and closed his notebook. Lee
took Chip's hand in both of his, kept his eyes on Chip’s face and silently
prayed for his best friend’s life, waiting once more for his prayers to be
answered.
It was only a short time before the monitors started
going crazy again. Jamie rushed in at the sound, yelling for Frank.
“He’s in cardiac arrest, bring the crash cart STAT!”
Doctor and corpsman work in tandem trying to save
the XO’s life. Lee stood in the background wishing there was something, anything,
he could do! Finally they got a normal rhythm going; this crisis for now was
over. Jamie adjusted the oxygen cannula that had been disturbed. How much
longer could the young officer hang on to life was the question. Jamie looked
at Lee and shook his head, unable to give Lee the answer he wanted.
“He's really going to die isn't he, doc? There is
nothing you can do, nothing anyone can do to save him.”
“Do you want a straight answer? Chip has coded three
times, each time it gets harder to bring him back. I'm worried if this
continues what damage might be done to the heart or brain. With each code the
possibility grows for irreparable damage to those organs.”
“I can't believe this is happening. He's got to come
out of the coma, Jamie. I have to speak to him one last time.”
The doctor laid a compassionate hand on the young
man's shoulder then walked away. There wasn't anything more to be said. He
always worried this day would come, when his bag of medical tricks would not be
enough. But he had imagined it would be the dark-haired officer, not the
fair-haired one, on the gurney. How one could survive without the other he had
no way of knowing. He sent up his own prayer for a miracle to happen.
There was a lot of commotion in the passage way.
Admiral Nelson burst into Sick Bay with a triumphant gleam in his eyes.
“I just got off a conference call with Conrad and
Shaw,” the admiral said excitedly. “The two of them had been working for some
time on this disease. They developed an experimental antidote they have successfully
been testing on animals. I'm sending Sharkey with the flying sub to pick Conrad
up along with the medicine. It's Morton's only chance of survival.”
“Harry, I realize there's only a 1% survivor rate in
infected patients but I really should have his consent to try such an
experimental drug.”
Lee jumped in. “Jamie, I have Chip's medical power
of attorney. Ever since we've started serving together on the Seaview we have each other’s power of attorney. Chip always thought he'd be
the one using it after one of my ONI missions. You got to hand it to him, he's
one efficient XO.”
Jamison and Nelson shook their heads; leave it to
that paper pushing lover Morton to have things under control, not realizing it
could possibly save his life. Nelson ordered Sharkey and Kowalski to get
underway as quickly as possible. The sooner the flying sub left the sooner they
would return.
Lee resumed his bedside vigil after a brief tour of
the boat. He felt torn between his duties as captain and the needs of his
friend. Lee tried to convince himself that the junior officers could run Seaview, in the present situation,
without him standing over their shoulders but he still felt guilty putting his
personal wants over the welfare of the crew. He remembered all the times Chip
stayed by his side during illness and injury. When he was unaware of everything
else, somehow Chip’s strength was there, pulling him back to life. It was now
his turn to provide Chip with a lifeline to the world of the living.
As Lee held his friend’s limp hand and assured him help
was on the way Chip’s condition further deteriorated when he started to
struggle for air. The doctor finally had to put Chip on a ventilator while they
awaited the return of the flying sub. Fortunately he had not gone into cardiac arrest
before that ship returned with Dr. Conrad. Lee was relieved when Sparks had
called Sick Bay to inform them the flying sub would be docking in five minutes.
After squeezing Chip’s hand telling him the cavalry had arrived, Lee hurried to
the control room to greet the scientist.
Once on board Seaview
Dr. Conrad explained the drug was too strong to be given in one dose. Three injections, one every four hours had
proven to be safest and would be potent enough to be effective. Since Chip was
already on the ventilator they wouldn’t worry about sending the patient into
respiratory arrest. The doctors would have to keep a close eye on his
temperature; some of the test animals had developed alarmingly high fevers and
the resulting convulsions. The poison had already started to affect the kidneys
creating a concern regarding total renal failure. Two or three hours after the
last injection, if the antidote worked, the fever would start subsiding and
kidney function should show improvement.
After Jamie injected the first dose, Lee reluctantly
went to the control room to relieve O'Brien. He needed to make arrangements for
the three surviving members of the Heywood Foundation medical team. They had
been medically checked out, fed, and given clean clothes. The Venazilian
government had hoped the survivors could give some information about the enemy
strength and position. Lee instructed Sparks to contact Prime Minister
Pinochet. Once in contact, the captain set up a secure landing zone for Mr.
O'Brien and Sharkey to deliver the three men for questioning. The captain
decided to send an officer with the civilians as a precautionary measure to
assure their questioning wouldn't get out of hand. With that part of their
orders completed Seaview could return
to Santa Barbara for repairs but most importantly, a larger medical facility
for Chip as soon as the relief ship Hope
arrived.
*****
Lee had been pacing up and down the deck in the
control room anxiously awaiting the return of the five men. As he moved around about
Lee tried to convince himself he sent Lieutenant O'Brien in his place to give
the younger officer more experience and responsibility but Lee knew in his
heart the real reason was he couldn't stand to be ashore with Chip in danger of
dying at any moment. He knew their special connection would be needed to keep
Chip tethered to this life. He wanted to stay in Sick Bay but his military
training held and he knew his place, at least for now, was in the control room.
The duty officer, Lieutenant Maxwell, was a competent junior officer, but this
was only his second mission on Seaview. Lee felt duty bound to offer his quiet
support. He was pleased the way Mr. Maxwell had handled the damage control
drill a little earlier. After lunch there would be a drill for the engineering
department. Keeping busy would help everyone release some of the tension that
had gripped the boat.
Several hours later Jamie entered the control room
carrying a tray of food and coffee.
“Okay captain, I heard the flying sub isn't due back
for a while, so you have time to eat.”
“Doc, what is Chip’s condition?”
“Fifteen minutes to eat a sandwich and drink a cup
of coffee while I give you an update on the XO’s condition.”
Too exhausted to put up an argument Lee grabbed a
cookie off the tray, munching on it as he made his way to the observation nose
after turning the Conn over to Lieutenant Maxwell.
Lee picked up half a sandwich and took a bite. “Okay
I'm eating, how is Chip?”
Jamie leaned back with his own sandwich and after
taking a sip of coffee he started his report.
“Chip received the second dose thirty minutes ago.
His heart rate remains stable and he is still on the ventilator but his
breathing is better.”
Lee's hopes rose with that news. “That means the
antidote is working, right?”
“It’s really too soon to tell. Morton is running a
temperature of a little over 102 degrees. I've got cooling procedures on
standby; I don't want to be surprised with a sudden spike and convulsions.
Before you ask, he’s still unconscious. Dr. Conrad informed me it will be 24
hours or more after the last injection before there’s any sign of waking up.
According to the doctor’s research numerous test subjects recovered even after
experiencing the high temperatures and convulsions. We have to make sure we are
correctly handling these complications.”
Lee tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice. “I
hate waiting, not being able to do anything to help. How do Chip and the admiral
handle it when I'm the one laid up in Sick Bay?”
“I'm afraid the answer to that is experience. You’ve
been on the boat for only eight months but you've managed to get yourself
banged up on numerous occasions. Chip is better at hiding at his emotions;
Nelson yells and curses a lot.”
“The admiral is known to do that even when no one is
in Sick Bay,” Lee replied in a feeble attempt at humor.
“That he is.”
Putting down
his cup, Jamie stood up stretching while trying to suppress a yawn. In the last
24 hours he had only been able to snatch an occasional catnap and the lack of
sleep was catching up to him.
“I'll look in on Chip and if there are no problems,
I'm going to grab a couple hours of sleep. I told Frank to call if there's any
change. We just have to stay positive.”
“I'm trying but…” Lee's voice trailed off. Father
O'Brien* had always preached putting your faith in the Lord but right now he
was running a little short in the faith department. He had pleaded with God for
Chip’s life and knew he should trust in God's plan and be strong but it was
hard, so very hard.
“No but,” the doctor broke into Lee's musing. “Like
you, Chip is a fighter. Now it's time you got back to work, captain.” Jamie
tried to instill an upbeat note in his voice for both their sakes. “I'll see
you in Sick Bay when the flying sub gets back. You can have a half hour in the
chair that the admiral has been keeping warm for you these last four hours.”
“Jamie, do me a favor and tell the admiral to get
some sleep. I don't need to be worrying about his health along with Chip’s.”
The doctor shook his head. “The three of you are
something else. Nelson practically ordered me to send you to bed, so I'm
telling you ahead of time --thirty minutes at Chip’s bedside then you're off to
sleep. Don't worry about the admiral, I've already sent him to his cabin to
rest.”
*****
The flying sub returned without incident and the
three passengers were once again safely in their guest cabins anxiously awaiting
the return to the States. After receiving Mr. O'Brien's report Lee dismissed him.
Giving a few last minute orders to Mr. Maxwell, Lee then headed to Sick Bay hoping
to extend his visiting time if Jamie was still asleep. Unfortunately the doctor
was one step ahead of him; when Lee took to the chair situated next to Chip's
bunk, Frank made a show of setting the timer at 30 minutes. Grinning, the
corpsman placed it in the top bunk and offered his captain a mug of coffee,
which Lee gratefully accepted while trying to suppress a yawn.
“His temperature is at 103.5 degrees and we've
started standard cooling procedures. All other vitals remain the same,” Frank
reported without being asked. “Next injection is due in 30 minutes.”
The skipper nodded his thanks, and turned his
attention to Chip, pushing back the damp blond hair off his friend’s sweaty
forehead. Pulling up the cooling blanket a little further towards Chip's neck
Lee's hand slightly shook as he tucked it around the too warm body. Picking up
the compress that had fallen aside, Lee replaced it with a fresh cold one. He
gently ran his hand up and down Chip's arm under the blanket as he made his
report to the XO regarding the condition of the boat and results of the two
drills.
“You would be proud of those two youngsters, Chip.
Both Frank and Cam are turning out to be fine officers. You deserve a pat on
the back for training both of them. You know you better wake up pretty soon;
the pot in the betting pool about Maxwell’s name is getting quite large. I
can't believe some of the guesses for his middle name. Patterson put down
Aristotle.”
Looking up he saw it was only a few minutes left to
Jamie's imposed 30 minutes visit. Slowly reaching up for the timer to reset it
his hand was gently pushed away by someone behind him. Startled, Lee turned his
head towards the intruder then attempted his “innocent little boy” look on
Jamie, but the doctor wasn't falling for it.
“Captain, you are exhausted. You've been on your
feet for over 36 hours. GO TO BED! That's an order.”
“I'm fine, doctor,” Crane replied, returning
formality with formality, “I'm quite capable of sitting next to my XO to give
him an update on the boat’s condition.” Lee ruined his indignant tone when he
attempted to stand and started listing to port. Jamison grabbed Lee's arm
firmly as he called out Frank's name. When the corpsman hurried over Jamie
handed Lee over to him.
“See the captain to his quarters and make sure he’s
safely tucked in to bed before you leave. Call me if he gives you any trouble.”
Lee started to object, ready to claim once again he
was fine. The doctor cut Lee off before he could utter a word.
“If
Captain Crane resists in anyway report to me and I'll be in his cabin before
you can replace the mic. I have a nice preloaded hypo with his name on it.”
Knowing he was beaten Lee allowed Frank to lead him
away but first he leaned down and whispered something into Chip’s ear. Slowly
straightening up to avoid another attack of dizziness Lee started to walk out
of Sick Bay with firm steps only to spoil the effect by tripping over his own
tired feet. He would have crashed into the door frame if not for Frank's quick
reflexes.
“We must've lost trim for a second,” the captain
mumbled.
“Sure skipper, maybe we better hold onto each other
so we don't fall on the way to your cabin. We’ll just take it nice and slow,”
Frank diplomatically suggested as he led the exhausted officer down the
corridor.
I'm
fine my Aunt Fanny, Jamie thought to himself. He made a
mental note to visit the control room after Frank's return to ensure the
admiral and not the captain would be receiving any calls.
Four hours later
Lee woke with a start from a crazy nightmare he was
having. The flying monkeys from the Wizard
of Oz were chasing him as he tried to carry Chip to safety. Swaying as he
planted his feet on the deck, he leaned against the bunk until he recovered his
balance, then reached for the mic and ordered a carafe of coffee delivered to
his cabin. Shedding the rumpled khaki uniform he had fallen asleep in, Lee
grabbed a quick three minute shower to bring him fully awake. He emerged from
the head tying the belt of his robe and was startled as he faced not one but
two angry officers.
“Admiral, doctor, can I help you?”
“What are you doing up? I ordered you to bed,”
Jamison complained.
“I slept for--” Lee quickly checked his watch. “Four
hours,” he replied in a curt tone.
“Four hours! Four hours are not enough.”
“Drop it, Will. Just be happy he slept that long,”
broke in Nelson.
Knowing when to pick his battles the doctor backed
off. If Lee got defensive it would be a tough fight to get him to eat. Still a
little perturbed Jamie pointed towards the desk.
“I expect you to eat everything on this plate. You
need to take better care of yourself.”
Lee wanted to lash out with a sharp comeback but
stopped himself realizing Jamie was just looking out for him. A little
shamefaced at his unfriendly tone Lee explained how the nightmare had awakened him
and prevented him from falling back to sleep. Sitting down at his desk, Lee
lifted the warming cover with some trepidation not wanting to set the doctor
and Nelson off on another rant if he didn't eat very much.
“I told Cookie to prepare a Captain’s Special,” the admiral said correctly reading the young
man's face.
Jamie shook his head. A Captain’s Special in any other place would be known as a children's
portion, but the large glass of orange juice with a link of turkey sausage
along with a small amount of scrambled eggs and a slice of toast was a start.
After gulping down the first of many cups of coffee,
Lee turned towards the two officers.
“What's going on? I know you both didn't show up to
watch me eat.” The hand carrying the food to his mouth stopped halfway as a
sense of dread hit him. He quickly stood up. “Chip?”
“His temperature spiked again reaching 105 degrees and
he went into convulsions.”
Lee started for the door but the doctor seized his
arm, stopping him.
“Relax. He's stable for now.”
Looking at Jamie's face Lee saw something in the
CMO’s eyes.
“There's something you’re not telling me,” Lee
accused.
Admiral Nelson joined the conversation. “Sit down
and eat while the food is still warm.”
After hesitating
for a moment fighting the desire to see Chip, the captain reluctantly obeyed
his superior.
Nelson continued “Dr. Conrad is apprehensive; he had
expected to see some improvement by now. We just got off the phone with Dr.
Shaw. Both he and Dr. Conrad feel perhaps they erred on the side of caution and
another injection is warranted. You have the medical proxy; it's up to you to
make the final decision.”
“Jamie, what would you advise me to do? I know he
wouldn't want to be hooked up to machines the rest of his life. But if there's
a chance, Chip will fight to stay alive.”
“I can't tell you what to do but I can give you the
facts. Chip’s condition since the drug was administered has been a rise in
temperature to 105° which is high but no longer climbing, lung function
slightly improved but that improvement has leveled off and he still remains in
a coma. The main trouble is his kidneys functioning at only 30% due to the
poisonous bite.”
“You're saying another injection is needed to
completely neutralize the poison. What if it causes another spike in temperature?
How high can it rise without brain damage?”
“If the kidneys don't start functioning, you won't
have to worry about brain damage. We’ve been doing peritoneal dialysis, but
even if Chip was in the hospital on a dialysis machine, we would only be
prolonging the inevitable outcome.”
Lee walked away from his two friends to think,
dreading making the decision but knowing there was really no other choice. Lee
authorized the fourth dose. Once more he was placed in the position of waiting
and seeing.
******
Lee entered Sick Bay and walked over to the gurney
that held his best's friend still body. He picked up Chip’s hand and gave it a
squeeze.
“You know you can open your eyes now. You've made
your point. You've paid me back for all the times you sat by my side in this
room. I get it; it’s no fun being scared to death your brother is going to die.
Just wake up so you can tell me that to my face.”
Lee continued to speak softly to his best friend
recounting the stories of their time at Annapolis and the visits to Chip’s
family. The only other sound other than the captain’s voice was the beeping
from the heart monitor and the hissing of the ventilator. Somewhere during the
story of their diving adventure in Freeport, the machines’ hypnotic noise had
an effect on Lee. The skipper slept.
*****
Three hours later
Lee gradually became aware of the quiet movement
around him. Slowly lifting his head off his forearm he realized he had fallen
asleep at Chip’s bedside, his hand still holding the XO’s. With a soft moan he
pushed himself into the back of the chair and twisted his neck to work out the
stiffness. A mug of coffee appeared beneath his nose, the aroma bringing him
fully awake.
“Not exactly the position I hoped I'd find you in
when I suggested rest in Sick Bay, but I'll take any sleep time from you.”
Grabbing the steaming cup the skipper took several
large gulps of a strong brew. Lee’s eyes scanned the scene around Sick Bay
until his brain finally registered the different tone in Jamie's voice.
“Chip?”
Crane questioned as his eyes focused on his friend.
“Temperature is down to 103 degrees, kidney
functions are up to 50%. If his breathing continues to improve, I'll be able to
remove the ventilator by late tomorrow evening or the next day. Why don't you grab a shower and get into a
fresh uniform. We’ll meet for breakfast in thirty minutes. I'm sure I can
convince Cookie to make waffles. That will leave plenty of time for the walkabout
you missed last night before you go to the control room.”
“He might wake up if I keep talking to him,” Lee
argued in a tight voice.
Lee again took Chip’s hand and with the other felt
the patient’s forehead as if to verify the doctor’s news.
“Captain, do I have to make that an order? Sick Bay
presently has two doctors and two corpsmen with just one patient. I think we
can manage without you.”
Jamie stood in front of Lee with his arms folded,
giving the skipper an uncompromising stare.
Lee lowered
his head. “Please?” was all he could manage, not trusting
his voice.
Dr. Jamison shook his head, jerking it towards the
door.
“You'll be the first person called if there's any
sign of Chip waking up. Besides it will be good for the men to see their captain moving about the
boat.”
Lee knew the doctor was right; his job was to get
the men under his command through the next several days. Again he spoke quietly
into Chip’s ear before standing and walking away. Stopping at the doorway he
turned back and took a final look at Chip. Without moving his eyes he spoke to
the doctor.
“At the first sign, Jamie.”
Lee entered his cabin sinking down on to the edge of
his bunk tightly grasping his knees with trembling hands. He took several
calming deep breaths then lowered his head to his chest with eyes glistening
from unshed tears. As he closed his eyes in silent prayer of thanksgiving, a
single tear escaped and gently trickled down his cheek.
Chapter Two
The doctor had been correct in his assessment of the
crew’s morale. As Lee inspected each department he managed to find several
items that warranted the men's attention. Lee could be heard making a quip of
not wanting to be on Mr. Morton’s bad side when he woke up and found the boat
not running in A-1 condition; he wasn't that brave. That brought smiles and
chuckles from the crew. As he made his way forward to the control room he could
feel the mood of the ship lighten. It was just a few minutes before 0800 hours
when he showed up in the control room. After reading the log book he checked in
with Sparks to review the night’s radio traffic.
“Captain, we've been able to pick up intermittent
radio transaction from the rebels. It appears the north has split into two or
three fractions. One side is pushing for a coalition with the ruling government
in the south. The admiral is on the phone with Washington right now, said he’ll
update you about his plan when he is finished. Fighting is still going on,
neither side holding any area for long. He's been trying since late last night
to contact Prime Minister Pinochet to get an update on the situation, but no
reply.”
“Thanks Sparks, let him know as soon as his call is
complete that he can find me in the control room. I kept missing him early this
morning.”
“Yes sir. He's been all over the place since this
mess began, just like you when you're worried... begging your pardon sir.”
“Tell me Lieutenant, how does Mr. Morton handle
things when my off boat adventures go south?”
“Well skipper, let's just say the crew is very
careful not to run afoul of him. He has a stare that can peel the paint off the
bulkhead; you definitely don't want it aimed at you.”
Sparks grinned at his captain, happy to see the
sparkle back in those amber colored eyes, missing ever since he returned with
his injured friend.
“Oh yes, I remember that look being directed at me
once or twice.”
Lee patted the radio operator lightly on the back
and turned towards the charting table. Thirty minutes later Admiral Nelson
appeared at the foot of the spiral staircase and nodded towards the nose.
“Ski, I'll be in the nose, yell out if anything
appears on the screens.”
“Aye aye sir.”
Nelson had already poured two mugs of coffee and
handed one to his friend.
“I stopped by Sick Bay on my way here. No sign of
Chip waking up but his temperature is down another degree. Dr. Conrad is
running blood tests but he's sure our XO is out of the woods.”
“They say how long it will be before they know if
there's any permanent damage to Chip’s organs?”
“Not until we get home. They will need to put Chip
through a battery of tests. The
continued improvement of the kidneys is a good indication for a complete
recovery. The main concern is brain damage but until Chip regains consciousness
he can't even begin to judge. On the positive side, the fever never rose above
105 degrees and that's encouraging.”
Lee stared out of Seaview’s windows sipping his coffee. His happiness at the positive
change in Chip's condition was tempered by the rest of Jamie's report. If Chip
came out of this illness with major brain damage it would be his fault. He
approved the injections; he couldn't bear the thought of his best friend’s
sharp mind being destroyed. He should've asked more questions before leaving on
the mission, demanded more information about the dangers of the area. It was
his fault.
Tightly
squeezing his eyes shut he remembered at age seven his father slapping him
about, yelling it was all his fault his mother was the
way she was. She had been fine until he came along and ruined everything. His
father continued to beat him screaming he was a worthless piece of shit, what
good was he, why was he ever born. It was all his
fault... all his fault… all his fault…
The admiral
called his name again, breaking into his self-loathing thoughts.
“Lee, are you listening to me?”
“Sorry, sir.”
“Washington agrees with me it's worth the risk to try to make contact with the rebels
and see if they truly are serious about establishing a coalition government.
The Seaview can help broker the peace
talks since we are a civilian vessel. I told Sparks the next time he picks up
any radio transmission to try to establish contact and request their leaders to
talk with us. If we can get all sides together we can arrange a temporary
cease-fire until more formal arrangements can be made for the peace talks.”
“Can this war really start and end so quickly?”
“Washington has informed me the fighting has been
going on for over two years, mostly small scrimmages, hit and run type
fighting. It's only been the last six months or so that the fighting has
escalated. President Alomar fell seriously ill several months ago with Prime
Minister Pinochet taking over the reins of government until the successor comes
of age. They call their ruler president but it is still a dictatorship”
“You think there has been a quiet coup, maybe the
President's illness was helped along?”
“That or possibly the prime minister is taking
advantage of the situation. We have no military interest in the country but
they have been pro-US., and the president wants to keep it that way. He is
concerned with intelligence reports of help from the People's Republic. That's
one reason why Washington wants a civilian to initiate the talks; they don't
want the US drawn into it except for humanitarian effort. The Patrick Henry has arrived to provide
support for the Hope but is staying
in international waters under strict non- engagement orders.”
“But it helps to have big brother protecting us if
we do get involved diplomatically.”
The conversation was interrupted by Sparks. Prime
Minister Pinochet was on the radio insisting on speaking with Admiral Nelson.
Washington had initiated contact with the ruling government to offer Seaview as a neutral place to enter into
peace negotiation. The prime minister was demanding Nelson tell him where the
rebels were located. He didn't like being threatened by the US to surrender.
The admiral, not really noted for his even temperament, managed to keep his
composure as he explained that (1) no one was threatening his government (2) no
one was demanding they surrender and (3) he had no idea where the rebels were.
Pinochet abruptly disconnected the transmission but not before Nelson thought
he heard gunfire.
*****
After several hours without any distinguishable
radio transmissions Crane went around and checked most of the control room
stations. Seeing no sign of hostile activity he decided to move closer to shore,
hoping to pick up some radio traffic. Thirty minutes later his actions were
rewarded when Sparks called him over to the radio.
“Sir, I have someone who wants to speak to the
admiral or you. The signal is very weak; I don't know how long I can maintain
contact. He said his name is Juan Escobar and he represents President Alomar.”
“Call the admiral, but put Escobar through first.
I'll speak to him.”
“Yes, sir.”
Turning to the radio he spoke into the mic. “I have Captain Crane for you sir,
go ahead.”
“Captain, my name is Juan Escobar; I'm the grandson
of President Carlos Alomar. Sir, my grandfather is very ill and the prime
minister has been keeping us prisoners in the palace. He has replaced most of
the royal guard with men who are loyal to him, but a few still remain true to
the president. President Alomar is requesting help from the UN to end this war.
We…” the transmission faded out leaving Lee with nothing more than static. By
this time Nelson was standing next to him having heard the last part of the
transmission.
“Sparks, keep trying to raise him.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Lee, if that message was truly from the president
we need to contact President Powell.”
“Admiral, you have already been authorized to use Seaview as a meeting place for the peace
talks. Wouldn't it be a gesture of goodwill to escort the rightful ruler to
these talks? I'm sure I can put together a suitable honor guard to bring
President Alomar and his grandson aboard the boat.”
“I see your reasoning. An armed
honor guard to safely escort and protect the president’s party from the rebels.
Sparks, have you had any luck with the rebel's radio transmissions?”
“Admiral just before this last radio contact, I got
a fix on them. I think I can raise them now but don't know how much longer
they'll be in the area.”
“Do it.”
Sparks hurriedly turned back to his radio.
*****
Lee never felt so conflicted. He was pleased Seaview and her men could help end the
violence of this war but feared their further involvement would now necessitate
staying in the area keeping Chip away from the hospital care he needed. Lee
trusted Dr. Jamison more than any other medical professional, but aboard Seaview there was only so much Jamie
could do. On any other sub Chip would probably not have survived. Thanks to
Admiral Nelson's foresight Sick Bay was staffed with a doctor and not just a
corpsman and no other sub had the medical equipment Seaview carried. But it still wasn't the hospital his friend
needed. What if Chip suffered a relapse or some further complications? What if
postponing the medical tests delayed some care he needed to fully recover? Lee
knew he might have to give up his own life or sacrifice the life of his crew
when circumstances and duty demanded it. It was difficult when that possibility
affected someone who meant so much to him, someone who had made his young life
so much more enjoyable. How could he put his brother’s life in further danger
to protect a country that wasn't even his?
Sparks interrupted the captain's internal struggle
with himself to report contact with the rebel base.
“This is Rafael Mendez, leader of the People's
Revolution. What do you want?” It was a little difficult to understand his
English with the heavy accent.
Nelson took the mic. “Mr. Mendez, this is Admiral
Harriman Nelson. I am aboard the submarine Seaview
which is a privately owned research vessel. We are a civilian boat pressed into
service to evacuate Americans when your war broke out. We have intercepted some
of your transmissions stating your desire to form a coalition government. Do
you understand me? Our radioman can translate if needed.”
“What can a submarine do for us? We have no wish for
your government to tell us what to do in our own country.”
“Sir, I am directed by our president to extend the
use of Seaview as a neutral place where
preliminary peace talks can begin. We have been in contact with a
representative of President Alomar. He wishes to commence peace talks with the
rebels. We have men who can translate during the talks as I am sure it would be
easier for some of you.” “
“Most do not speak your language; my wife was from
the south and worked in the Palace. She learned and then taught me. We have no
wish to speak with Prime Minister Pinochet, that man is evil. He will say yes
to peace and then when we lay down our arms we will all be killed.”
“Do you speak for all the rebels, or just one
faction?
“You have indeed been listening to our
transmissions. I am the leader of one of the factions, but I am in contact with
all of the others. But none of us will talk with Pinochet.”
“It is not the prime minister. It is Juan Escobar.
Do you know that name?”
“Yes, he is the president's grandson. If you were
able to reach Juan then I believe I can convince the others to sit down with
him. We trust Juan Escobar; he has in the past helped the people in the northern province. We feared Pinochet had killed him.”
“We can send transport to bring a delegation aboard
our vessel, or if you don't trust us, we can first meet on shore. I strongly
suggest any negotiations occur on the
Seaview for your protection. Any attack upon us would be viewed as an
attack on the US.”
The two officers waited for the reply in silence for
several minutes.
“I will contact you in one hour, after I speak to
the others. We must all agree or the talks will fail. Are you sure you will be
able to bring the President or Escobar to your ship?”
“When we hear from you we will make arrangements to
escort Alomar and Escobar to Seaview.”
“Very well, I will radio you in one hour.”
Nelson turned to Lee. “Okay captain you're the expert.
How do we get Alomar and Escobar out of the palace? We can't fight our way in;
we have to remain neutral or at least give the appearance of neutrality.”
Lee quickly formulated a plan. “For the first wave
give me Kowalski, Riley and Frank. We'll need him if the president really is so
ill. Right now I don't trust anyone 100%. We'll need to borrow a car once we're
ashore. I recommend a frontal approach walking right up and knocking on the
front door. Ask how long the fighting will last in the area; anything to keep
him talking. The other three can sneak around looking for President Alomar and
his grandson. If he's so ill, it would make sense to keep him in his bedroom.
Pinochet wants to keep them alive for some reason or else he would have killed
them by now. Ski is pretty clever about getting in and out without being seen.”
“We won't do anything until we hear back from
Mendez. I don’t want to risk our people needlessly. In the meantime, I think
I'll arrange a couple of attacks on vital targets.”
“Admiral?”
“Don't worry, it's all smoke and mirrors but should
shake things up and help distract our dear prime minister.”
“Good and my second wave will stir things up even
more.”
“And who or what is your second wave?”
“Lieutenant Maxwell and Seaman Gomez, they both speak
the language. Dressed as locals and spreading a rumor around town that the
president has died. They can say they’re traveling to the palace to pay their
respects. Pinochet will have to allow the president to make an appearance. Our
men can grab Alomar and make their way through the crowd with a story about
escorting him to the hospital ship for treatment. We will accompany him for his
protection. The prime minister won't be able to refuse. The southern province
is very loyal to the ruling family. I understand that the president is a good
man, for a dictator, but has lost some control during the last of year when his
health started to decline.”
“It might just work, Lee. I've been in contact with
the captain of the Hope. They have
been busy with the locals, mainly treating their ailments not just the wounded.
The ship helped the country three years ago when the area was hit with the
earthquake. The people would trust the doctors to take care of their president.”
“With any luck Escobar will be close by and we can
get him out also. If not, hopefully the rebels would be willing to start
negotiations with the president. If he wants peace so much he might abdicate in
favor of his grandson.”
*****
The hour went by, and then another thirty minutes
passed. The two officers started to wonder if all their planning was for
nothing. Lee had managed a short visit to Sick Bay. While there Chip had
suffered a relapse, going into ventricular fibrillation necessitating the heart
to be defibrillated before it would resume a normal heart rhythm. Setbacks were
to be expected, Jamie warned, and Lee shouldn't be overly concerned. The doctor
reassured him about Chip’s condition and was very optimistic the XO would be
showing signs of waking up by morning.
Kidneys were functioning at 70 % and temperature was down to almost 100
degrees. The doctor tried to be encouraging but they would have to wait until
Chip regained consciousness. Before leaving, Lee once again leaned over and
whispered the same promise into Chip’s ear.
*****
It was almost two hours after the first conversation
when Mendez finally called them back.
“We will meet with you and talk. I cannot promise
anything more. When do you wish to start?”
“We need to get President Alomar out of the palace
and onto Seaview first. I think that
is the safest for everyone. We will contact you when that is accomplished.”
“The way you speak, the devil has tried to take over
the country as we feared, hasn't he?”
Not wanting to give the rebel more of a bargaining
chip, the admiral informed him since the president was ill they were concerned
for him.
“You do not trust us, but that is as it should be.
You do not know yet what type of men we are. Contact me when the president or
Escobar is aboard.”
*****
As much as he desired to put O'Brien in command Lee
knew he could not stay behind this time. The plan would need the boat's captain
to bluff their way into the palace. Once again his military training held. Lee
started off on his mission dropping off Lieutenant Maxwell and Gomez several
miles from the capital city. They had little trouble finding a car; its owner
gladly rented the old Caddy for Lee's and Ski’s watches plus a carton of the
admiral’s Marlboros which Lee had appropriated at the last minute. Mr. O'Brien
had reported how several palace guards had asked him for American cigarettes.
Arriving at
the presidential palace without incident Captain Crane requested a meeting with
the prime minister. At first he was put off, but when he made it clear he would
wait all day, Pinochet came out to greet him. Before he could start complaining
about having the four men barging in, Captain Crane politely asked if the two
of them could talk in his office. Lee had only been talking a few minutes when
a guard came running into the office reporting a disturbance at a local
factory. A bomb had gone off, but there was no report so far of damage but
there was lots of smoke pouring out of the building. Lee kept a straight face
as the first of Nelson’s smoke and mirrors distractions seemed to be working
just fine. Pinochet was now only half listening to what Crane was saying.
“Mr. Prime Minister, I'm sorry I've come at a bad
time but my XO is seriously ill plus our boat has sustained damages. We just
need to make a report to our government of conditions. I'm sure you have the
situation well in hand,” Lee said, confident that Pinochet’s ego would
appreciate the compliment. “We wish to return to our homeport as soon as
possible.”
“Yes, yes, we are fully in control, however as you
see I have problems of my own. There
are still fractions of resistance.”
Pinochet was interrupted by his aide with more bad
news.
“Sir, a report just came in there has been an
explosion at the water purification plant. I don't know how bad the fire is;
the heavy dark smoke is making it difficult to enter the building.”
“Captain Crane you must leave. I have to meet with
my Chief of Staff about these bombing attacks.”
Lee tried to stall for more time allowing Ski to
check out the palace and for Lieutenant Maxwell to work his magic.
“Sir, do you need any further assistance? Perhaps
medical supplies, anything…”
“No, no, we are fine. Please leave now.”
As Pinochet ushered him towards the door Lee saw
Kowalski signaling through an open window. Two fingers raised and pointed
eastward. At Crane's brief nod Ski folded the fingers one at a time, their
prearranged sign that both men were together. Great, he thought, now if Maxwell
and Gomez come through his crazy plan might work.
Suddenly they became aware of loud noises outside
the palace. Yanking open the office door Pinochet yelled out, demanding to know
what was going on. The poor captain of the guard nervously reported a large
crowd had gathered outside the gate claiming they had heard the news of
President Alomar’s death. They wished to pray for his soul. If the situation
hadn't been so serious, Crane would have chuckled at the expression on
Pinochet’s face.
“What are you babbling about? The president is
upstairs in his quarters.”
“Sorry sir, but that's what the crowd is saying.
Should we tell them to go home?”
“No, I will deal with this. You get President Alomar
dressed and have him stand at the balcony waving to the crowd.”
The prime minister had forgotten all about the men
of the Seaview as he made his way
outside. Lee’s Spanish, although a little rusty, was good enough to understand
his plan was working. As Pinochet left to address the gathering, Lee quickly
motioned Ski and the other two men to follow the captain of the guard, while he
kept up with the politician. The next part was tricky; the timing had to be
just right.
No one stopped Ski; they were too busy with crowd
control outside. The three of them watched as the captain of the guard
approached an older guard sitting outside the president’s bedroom. He quickly
stood as his superior addressed him and entered Alomar's quarters. Ski and
Riley stayed around the corner as Frank followed a little distance behind the
captain, walking like he belonged there. The elderly guard put out a hand to
stop him. Frank showed his medical pack and simply gestured towards the room.
Surprisingly the sentry smiled and questioned him.
“Seaview?”
Not quite sure what was happening, the corpsman
nodded his head. The older man pointed towards himself and said Ricardo, then
grinned and pantomimed with his revolver he would take care of the younger
guard. Putting his finger to his lips, he motioned the others forward.
Inside the bedroom the grandson, Juan, was demanding
to be told what was going on. The impatient captain pulled clothes from the
closet and told the president to get dressed and do it quickly. Before he was
able to issue any other orders the guard crumpled to the floor courtesy of
Ricardo’s gun butt. Ricardo pointed at the men behind him.
“Seaview.”
Wasting no time, Kowalski filled the grandson in on
the plan while Frank and Riley dressed the president with the help of the loyal
guard who listened intently as Escobar translated the plan to him. In less than
five minutes they were making their way downstairs, stopping only to lock the
unconscious man in the bathroom. The group was stopped only once on the stairs
and again Ricardo stepped forward to save the day by explaining Pinochet wanted
the president at the front of the Palace to prove he was alive.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Pinochet was addressing the
growing crowd assuring his countrymen President Alomar was alive, though ill,
and would soon make an appearance. The president was greatly moved by the
gathering of the well-wishers. Pinochet glanced at the balcony wondering what
was keeping the old fool when a roar went up and chants of “Alomar” were heard.
The prime minister spun around sensing the group behind him. His mouth opened
and closed like a large carp, unable to form any cohesive words. Escobar
stepped forward with his hand firmly grasping his grandfather's arm while Frank
held the other arm, and spoke to the crowd.
“As you can see, the rumors of President Alomar's
death were in error. He is however very ill and these gentlemen are here to
provide a security escort to the medical ship Hope to receive needed treatment. You remember how the doctors and
nurses from that ship helped during our devastating earthquake and save many
lives three years ago. Now they hopefully will try and do the same for my
grandfather. Please clear the way so we may safely pass.”
Lieutenant Maxwell and Gomez inconspicuously moved
back from the crowd and retrieved the car ready to take off as soon as Captain
Crane arrived with President Alomar. They kept an eye on Escobar as he walked
down the steps towards the locked gates; this was the most dangerous part of
their plan. Would the guards unlock the gates or would the prime minister
prevent the president from leaving the compound? Captain Crane took a few quick
steps towards Pinochet, whispering a suggestion in his ear. The prime minister
knew he could prevent all the men from leaving but at what cost. The crowd
could easily storm the palace and all his plans would be ruined. Resigned, and
knowing he only had one recourse in the matter,
Pinochet motioned to the guards to open the gates. The president and his
grandson made their way forward followed closely by the four Americans. Frank
stopped and motioned for Ricardo to join the group, worrying the old man would
be in danger when his actions were discovered.
It was a tight fit but all seven piled in the car
and took off towards the water and
Seaview. Lieutenant Maxwell and Gomez would follow on foot making sure the
car wasn't being followed. Forty-five minutes later six of the men were being
helped out of the Zodiac and onto the boat. Luckily, Dr. Jamison was standing
by because the excitement and trip proved to be too much for the ill president
and he collapsed once a board Seaview.
The doctor and Frank saw to his removal to Sick Bay, promising Admiral Nelson a
medical update as soon as possible. The admiral ordered the topside watch to be
on lookout for the second Zodiac containing Maxwell, Gomez, and Crane, who had
stayed behind in case of an emergency. It was an anxious hour until the
lookouts reported the Zodiac was alongside the boat and the three men were
unharmed.
Not wasting any time the captain ordered Seaview out to international waters
until he was sure what the situation was. Admiral Nelson had taken Escobar to
his cabin to wait for Dr. Jamison's report. Once there, Nelson explained how Seaview was in contact with the
rebels. He offered to mediate
preliminary peace talks; if President Alomar was truly serious about ending the
war Nelson would arrange the meeting. If not, the two men would be transported
to the hospital ship where the sick ruler would receive excellent care.
“Admiral,
I know my grandfather wants peace. Under our laws, I come of age in one week.
He realizes he has a short time to live and wishes for me to be able to lead
this country forward as a united country, not one divided between the north and
south. It is my hope that we can have a truly democratic nation. I want to lead
my people, all of them, if they choose me. But I will help anyone whom the
people choose to rule.”
“Mendez
spoke of forming a coalition government but you should speak of that during the
negotiations. Right now I'll have our radioman contact him and arrange a
pickup. Until then I'll have you escorted to Sick Bay to be with your
grandfather.”
Chapter Three
Captain
Crane sent the flying sub to pick up Mendez and the two other rebel leaders. He
assigned Lieutenant Maxwell as escort and Admiral Nelson's translator since he
had proven his excellent command of Spanish. Sharkey would oversee setting up
Nelson’s porch for the peace talks. Lee was happy his part was complete; all he
was required to do was run Seaview. He checked with the galley on the
preparations for tonight's dinner to ensure nothing would go wrong there.
Lee's next visit was Sick Bay. It had been eight
hours since he'd left the boat and he was sure there would be good news waiting
for him. Jamie came out of his office upon seeing the captain.
“Everything nice and quiet here, skipper.”
“Good, good,” Lee answered absentmindedly already
making his way towards Chip's bunk.
Jamie smiled and followed him.
“My star
patient has been behaving himself by not giving us any more scares. The blood
work is normal and so is his temperature. He's reacting to pain stimuli and
showing some response to sound. I was just going to try weaning him off the
ventilator when you arrived. If there are no problems, I’ll remove it. Why
don't you go get a cup of coffee or inspect something? Come back in a half
hour.”
The doctor
gently shoved the young captain towards the exit.
“I'll stay,” Lee said, starting to dig his heels in.
“No, you won't, Captain. It won't be easy seeing
someone struggling to breathe if Chip is not ready. Go do something useful and
let me do my job without having to worry about you, too.”
Lee reluctantly left. He would do a quick tour of
engineering, grab a sandwich and coffee to eat while visiting with Chip,
figuring Jamie would leave him alone if he ate.
On
Lee's return to Sick Bay he was overjoyed at the sight of Chip free of the
ventilator. He took up his customary position and started to update his XO. For an hour he talked, filling Chip in on everything
that he had happened, all the time looking for a sign that what he was saying
was being understood. He had started to
discuss how Cookie was going all out for the admiral’s dinner when a crew
member appeared at the door.
“Sir,
Admiral Nelson would like to see you in his cabin.”
“Thanks, Smith. On my way.” Rising
up from his perch, he squeezed Chip’s hand and bent over to whisper into his
ear, “Remember, I never forget a promise.”
He wasn't sure but it felt like Chip lightly squeezed back.
*****
Dinner was a bit strained with mostly Crane and the
doctor talking, attempting to keep the conversation on neutral topics. Admiral
Nelson was in the middle of a story when Dr. Jamison was called to Sick Bay.
Jamie stopped by Lee's chair telling him to sit tight; he would let him know
what was happening as soon as he could. Lee continued to check his watch with
increasing frequency, waiting for Jamie's message. Was the doctor's absence due
to Chip or had another man been injured?
The group was finishing dessert when a smiling Frank appeared to summon
the admiral and captain. Leaving Mr. Maxwell to entertain the visitors, the two
officers hurried off and upon arrival were greeted by a happy Dr. Jamison.
“He's coming out of it. I can't make out much of
what he’s been trying to say. It seems he's concerned about Seaview's position.”
“The boat’s position, why would he want to know
that?” questioned Admiral Nelson.
“I don't know, but he's asked a couple times about
it, at least that’s what it sounds like. He keeps saying something about the
bearings.”
Lee kept repeating the words over and over in his
head when it finally hit him. He attempted to choke back his laughter but
failed, causing both Jamison and Nelson to look at him strangely.
“Sorry Jamie,
but I think what Chip was asking is “Did the Bears win?” I kept whispering to
him I would get
Before either
officers could comment, a choking sound from the bed attracted all three's
attention.
“Chip!”
Lee beat the admiral and doctor to Chip's
side. His friend looked at Lee through half open eyes. Chip tried to say
something again but it was difficult to understand. As the captain put an arm
around Chip to help him sit up, Jamison poured a glass of water and passed it
to Lee.
“Here buddy,
take a couple of sips. I know your throat hurts, but this will make it easier
to talk.”
After a
couple of sips Chip looked around, becoming more aware of the surroundings.
“B-boat okay?”
he managed in a strained voice.
“Everything and everyone is fine now. You
really had us worried. I finally got you broken in and wasn't looking forward
to browbeating another executive officer,” teased Lee as he gently lowered Chip
back against the pillows.
“W-what h-happened, f-f- foggy.”
Jamie
gestured Lee aside needing to do a check on his patient. Taking Chip's wrist to
check his pulse, the doctors spoke in a soothing tone.
“Don't worry;
you've been pretty sick so it will take a while for things to clear up.” Looking
at Nelson and Crane he jerked his head towards the door.
“Why don't
you two get some rest? I need to examine Chip and then I'm sure he'll want to
sleep. Tomorrow he'll be up for a longer visit.”
The
admiral was all set to argue until he saw Chip's eyes already shutting.
Steering a protesting Lee out of Sick Bay he informed the doctor they both
would return first thing in the morning but after the exam he expected Will to
give them an update.
“Come
along, Lee. We have a dinner to finish up and see our visitors safely to their
beds. And hit the rack ourselves. It's been a long day.”
*****
Lee impatiently kept glancing over to where the
privacy screen surrounded Chip's bunk. John was finishing giving Chip his bath
and helping him get dressed so they waited in Jamie's office. Pouring out
coffee for all three Dr. Jamison sat down facing the two men and started to
give an update on Chip's condition. All vitals were normal. He still was having
difficulty forming some of his words and John had to help him with breakfast
due to having trouble grasping a spoon or his cup.
“Chip seems to be having trouble forming his words
when he speaks. Aren't you bothered about his stuttering, Jamie?”
“Skipper, he's just came out of the coma so I'm not
really overly concerned. There was a weakness in his grip and a few other
neurological problems but again, let's hold off until I re-examine him. I’ll
compare the results, looking for any improvements.”
“So there is some neurological damage,” Nelson sadly
commented.
“It's going to be a wait-and-see situation until we
can tell if the condition is permanent. Although Chip's having a little trouble
speaking, he does recognize objects when I showed him pictures. That's a good
sign. More sophisticated tests will have to be administered, I'm sure they'll
indicate a need for therapy.”
“How do we handle things?”
“Just treat him as you always do, Lee. Keep things
normal and try to stop him from getting frustrated. This morning he took a
couple shaky steps so until Chip's steadier on his feet he has company when he
walks. He needs to regain his strength.”
“Does he remember what happened to him?”
“I had to fill in the blanks for him, Harry. He was
clear up to leaving the boat to pick up the medical team, but nothing after. It
will be important to see how much of what I told him he remembers now.”
Seeing John wheel away the screens, they went over
to Chip who was now sitting up in a chair dressed in PJs and a bright yellow
robe.
“Well Mr. Morton, are you ready to stop lollygagging
around and get back to work?” Lee kidded his friend.
“Yes s-sir, c-captain s-sir,” Chip smiled and tossed
off a sloppy salute. “W-won't be much h-help with the…” His grin faded as he
searched for the word.
The skipper jumped in, seeing his friend faltering. “Mr.
O'Brien has been enjoying his role as acting X0 but between the two of us, he
needs work on those icy stares you do so well. Maybe you can give him some
private lessons.”
Chip shook his head, “Trade s-s-secret.”
“Well Chip, I'll leave Lee here to bother you. I
have a meeting to mediate. And Captain, try and stay out of Dr. Jamison's way.”
The admiral affectionately patted the blond haired officer's shoulder and left
for the control room.
Lee caught Chip up on what had transpired while he
was ill. Much to the doctor's satisfaction Chip and Lee managed a brief walk
around Sick Bay with Chip showing a steadier gait.
*****
The peace talks were progressing much more rapidly
than anyone had expected. President Alomar was adamant that his grandson
succeed him as president and be kept safe for the next six days until he
reached his 21st birthday. Tiring quickly due to his ill health, he conceded
all other problems could be settled between the other participants of the peace
talks.
Once again
Seaview provided the answer. Escobar and Mendez would remain onboard until
radio broadcasts were made announcing the cease-fire. When it was safe, Mendez
would accompany the ruler and successor to take up his role in the new
government.
******
Later that evening Dr. Jamison, Admiral Nelson, and
Captain Crane all met to discussed Mr. Morton's condition. The doctor felt Chip
was stable enough to withstand a trip back to a stateside hospital in the
flying sub. As a medical doctor, Dr. Conrad could safely accompany Chip in case
of complication. He also needed to chart Chip’s progress since he was, in fact,
the first human guinea pig for the antitoxin. At the last minute Lee decided
Frank should also be aboard the craft. Knowing how much Chip disliked hospitals,
Frank, being a friendly face, would accompany Chip as he underwent the battery
of tests and assist in any rehab. All three officers felt the sooner Chip
started his rehab the better chance for a complete recovery.
Knowing the political situation would necessitate Seaview’s presence in Venazil's waters for another week, Admiral Nelson
ordered the flying sub to launch early the next morning. Realizing Crane's
desire to be with his friend, the admiral suggested Lee fly the craft. Once
again, Lee was torn between duty and friendship. He assigned Sharkey and
Kowalski to pilot the flying sub knowing they would safely see their X0 home.
The captain
did offer his apologies to the visitors with the excuse of ship business to
escape another drawn out dinner. He didn't think his presence would be missed
now that the three men from the Heywood Foundation would be joining the
festivities. Anxious to spend as much time together as possible, Lee chose
having dinner with Chip. Cookie, having been advised of Mr. Morton's
limitations, served up sandwiches of roast beef and ham along with macaroni
salad and chunky applesauce. Lee was a bit concerned but Chip grinned and
showed him the silverware Frank had modified. He had wrapped first aid tape
around a couple of tongue depressors that sandwiched the handles of the utensil
doubling the size allowing Chip an easier surface to grip.
Lee had
noticed on an earlier visit Chip's reluctance to talk. The captain wickedly
covered the desert plate, hiding the double fudge brownies with peanut butter
frosting to force the XO to guess what dessert would be. During dinner there
had only been one incident when Chip dropped a spoonful of applesauce on his
robe. With difficulty, Lee held himself back from rushing to clean up the spill
knowing how much his friend would resent being treated like an invalid. Instead,
he launched into the story of the time the chef had made a mistake between
chicken Kiev and chicken cordon bleu and the result was a stream of melted
butter squirting his uniform jacket when Lee stabbed the chicken, much his
dismay and to Chip' s delight.
“I thought you were going to fall off the chair, you
were laughing so hard. Our dates were not impressed though.”
Chip gave Lee a lopsided grin knowing what Lee was
trying to accomplish.
“Thanks, s-s-s sorry I'm not good company.”
Lee laid a hand on Chip’s arm. “You’re great company
compared to two days ago. It felt strange not having you interrupt me when I
was talking. I was afraid I would never have the chance to tell you to shut up
again!” Lee finished in a choked up voice.
Breaking the emotional silence, Chip leaned toward
Lee to hug his friend, turning at the last second trying to grab the cover off
the dessert plate. Laughing at his friend's tactics Lee revealed the plate with
the brownies, enjoying seeing Chip's eyes light up.
“Give m-m-me those brownies, I clean my p-p plate!”
“That's never been a problem for you, Mr. Morton,” joked Lee as he placed two of the biggest sweet desserts on
Chip’s plate. After devouring the first one Chip leaned back licking his lips.
“Going to m-m-miss Cookie's
desserts.”
“Don't worry; I'll bring you a care package as soon
as Seaview gets back to Santa
Barbara.”
“That's not w-w-what I mean.” Chip's shoulders
slumped.
Lee looked puzzled, not sure what have brought on
the sudden mood change.
“What's bothering you, Chip?”
“You don't have to p-p-p...” The blonde haired
officer slammed his fist down on the table, frustrated he was unable to express
his thoughts. Pushing back the chair, he abruptly stood up. Hastily walking
away Chip lost his balance and would have fallen if Lee had not reached his
side to support him. Giving Chip a moment to recover, Lee guided the trembling
man over to his bunk and sat him down. Grabbing the near-by chair and placing
it next to the rack Lee sat down facing his friend.
“Talk to me.”
Chip pounded on his leg with his fist. Shaking his
head back and forth, clearly in turmoil, he moved his lips but was unable to
get the words to form.
“Come on pal, take a couple deep breaths and relax.
You want me to get Jamie for you?”
Chip adamantly shook his head. They both knew that
would mean a sedative and more lost time. Squeezing his eyes shut to prevent
the threatening tears to fall; Chip slowly regained control of his fragile
emotions.
“C-can't talk right, c-can’t w-walk right, h-how can
I s-s-stay on Seaview?”
Lee was at Chip’s side in an instant, drawing him
into a brief hug then pulling slightly away enabling Chip to face him.
“You stupid fool; of course you're staying on Seaview. No other XO would put up with
me. The crew would mutiny if you left.”
“I'm no good in an em-em … Damn!”
“Emergency,” Lee finished for him. “Chip, Jamison
explained this to you. He's convinced your condition is temporary. You just
need time to recover. Remember that summer cruise aboard the Townsend and she had that accident and
you broke your leg? You didn't just get up and run a marathon two days later,
did you? But the next year you did a 5K run for the Chicago firefighters
charity.”
There were a couple of minutes of silence as Chip
absorbed Lee's words.
“I would have beat your t-t-time if you hadn't
d-d-distracted me.”
“I was just pointing out the sights.”
“A red hair 38 – 24 – 36 s-s-sight.”
Lee chuckled and brought his friend to his feet.
“Come on, you still got one brownie to finish. Jamie
will think you're sick or something if you leave it. If you are up to it we can
take a stroll to check out the circuitry room. Sharkey was complaining about a
noise. I didn't hear anything, but maybe you can figure it out.”
*****
The next day Chip made his way slowly past the
control room to the flying sub with Lee by his side to offer a supporting hand
but Chip was determined to make it on his own two feet. Some of the crew spoke
to him as he passed, wishing him well or promising to take good care of the
boat. Chief Sharkey and Kowalski were already doing the pre-flight check as
Chip and Lee descended the ladder followed shortly by Frank and Dr. Conrad.
After joking about not eating too many hot wings watching the playoff game on
Sunday, Lee reluctantly left his friend and climbed back up the ladder and
dogged the hatch. He remained in the observation nose until the flying sub was
out of sight.
Lee brusquely returned to the control room and gave
Mr. O'Brien orders to hold a series of drills over the next several days. He
conferred with Lieutenant Maxwell regarding the mysterious noises in the
circuitry room, relaying Chip's suggestions. His next stop was in the gallery
for a brief talk with Cookie. Lee moved from department to department focusing
all his attentions on Seaview and not
on his departed friend.
*****
Everything went like clockwork. The news of the
truce was broadcast repeatedly from the state held radio station. All fighting
finally stopped on the fourth day and President Alomar and his grandson
returned to the Presidential Palace. The Prime Minister was placed under arrest
when he was caught attempting to cross the border with a substantial sum of
money hidden in his luggage. Once Admiral Nelson received word that Alomar was
safe he gave Captain Crane orders to plot a course for Santa Barbara.
The best news came from Chip's doctors. Dr.
Jamison’s hunch had proved correct; there was no permanent damage to any
organs. The neurological problems were a result from the antitoxin and were
being treated with the same rehab as a stroke victim. A complete recovery was
indicated with no lasting effects or restriction for duty.
*****
Lee didn't care what Jamison was relaying to him
about Chip's condition. He wouldn't stop worrying about his best friend until
he saw and talk to him. Finally, two days after Seaview started her return trip
Lee was able to speak with Chip via the web cam.
“Looking good buddy. Frank said you're
finally out of the hospital.”
“H-h-hated every minute b-b-being cooped up in
t-t-that h-h- hospital room even with Frank s-s-sneaking me in extra desserts.
He's a real s-s-slave driver when it comes to my r-r-rehab. But at least I can
do it at h-h- home.”
“It's been kinda lonely here without you, Chip,
can't wait till we make port. How about I treat you to ribs at Killer B’s the
day I get back?”
“G-g-great idea, I can t-t-tuck a napkin in my
s-s-shirt so no one will n-n-notice the messy eating. And don't f-f-forget, you
promised a c-c-care package of C-c-cookies best desserts.”
“Don't worry, mister bottomless pit, Cookie
promises to make all your favorites. Everyone misses you, especially O'Brien.
He can't wait for you to return to duty. I can't wait for it either, he can't
tell me where to go when I get all huffy.”
“You are going to be so s-s-spoiled by the
t-t-time I return you'll be i-i-impossible to live with. I have to g-g-go,
Frank's here for m-m-my work out.”
“Behave yourself.
I'll talk to you tomorrow.”
Seeing Chip in his own place lifted Lee's mood considerably. He knew
his friend had a lot of hard work ahead of him, but soon Lee would be by his
side to help and encourage him. Leaving his cabin Lee made it a point check-in
with Cookie about chips desserts. He definitely did not want to face that man's
anger by showing up without them.
Chapter Four
Seaview would reach Santa
Barbara tomorrow afternoon. The admiral had sequestered himself in his cabin
finishing his report to the Navy regarding the faulty maneuvering system.
Completing his recommendation for improvements, he tossed the papers into the
desk drawers and decided to pay a visit to the captain's cabin. This cruise had
been tough on Lee, forcing him numerous times to choose duty over friendship.
Now that Chip was recovering in the stateside hospital Lee was driving himself
to the point of exhaustion. He felt the need to make up for the time spent at
his friend's bedside even though he had never neglected any aspect of his
command. Nelson was determined Lee would spend this last night asleep in his
bunk, not roaming the corridors of the boat looking for no existing problems.
Harry finished his now cold coffee and standing, stretched his own tired body.
A good night sleep on his part was also a good idea, but first he needed to get
a stubborn young officer off to bed.
Tapping lightly on Lee's door and receiving no
reply, the admiral entered quietly and smiled at the sight before him. The
young captain was sound asleep at his desk. One problem solved, now to get Lee
more comfortably situated in bed without completely waking him up.
“Reminds me of med
school.”
Nelson was startled at the sound of the doctor's
voice; he had not heard Jamie enter the cabin.
“You mean falling asleep over your books, Will?”
“That and all that nice
thick hair.” Jamison ran his hand through his less than luxurious locks.
Between Crane’s and Morton's antics, he felt he would soon be completely bald.
“Come on, I'll give you a hand getting the boy
to bed. Guess I won't need to force the sleeping pills on the Skipper after
all.”
The doctor pulled back the bunk's covers while
Harry gently lifted Lee's head and arms off the desk and pushed back the
chair.
Lee stirred and muttered, “Seaview all right?”
The admiral softly reassured him, telling Lee to
go back to sleep. Together they managed to get the captain to bed. Nelson
removed Lee's shoes while the doctor, out of habit, checked Lee's pulse.
Finished covering the sleeping man Jamison left, but not before ordering the
admiral to bed.
“Don't worry, Will. I'll stay just long enough
to check and make sure all classified reports on the desk are secured. And you
should take your own advice and hit the rack.”
Checking
through the several reports on the captain's desk Nelson was satisfied all was
safe. There was a notebook on the desk, opened to a sheet in Lee’s handwriting.
Nelson knew that Lee was probably one of the few people left in the world that
still wrote letters. It brought back the memories of the favor Father O’Brien*
had asked of him so many years ago. Perhaps, Nelson thought,
he should finally tell Lee about the first time word had come to him about a
very special but troubled young boy.
Nelson took a final fatherly glance at the all too
young looking captain and tenderly shut the notebook, protecting Lee's private thoughts
from the outside world.
Dear
God,
Thank
you for sending me two very special friends…
Epilogue
Super Bowl Sunday**
Will looked around the
owner’s box. Harry, with a scotch in his hand, was talking to the Chicago Bears
president Ted Phelps. Jamison wasn't exactly sure how Nelson managed it but he
didn't care. He had warned the admiral he would be rooting for his home town
team to which Harry laughed and replied, “Good luck, and you'll need it.”
Taking a sip
of his own drink he looked out over the large window thinking Lee and Chip had
the right idea. They both had been invited but argued it was a lot more
enjoyable seeing the game among all the boisterous fans. Picking up the
high-powered binoculars Will quickly spotted the two younger men in their seats
on the 50 yard line. Lee refused to name his contact but had managed to score
two tenth row seats. It seemed Chip was especially having a great time. The
doctor found it hard to believe it was only a month ago, that but for a miracle,
Chip would have died. Now, with only two more weeks of outpatient therapy he
was showing little sign of his illness. After a month's vacation Chip would
report back to Seaview ready to take
on anything. The doctor laughed as Chip took advantage of Lee's inattentiveness
and appropriated a couple of his hot wings. Just then a cheer went up, drawing
Jamie's attention back to the game.
Much to Will's delight and Harry’s dismay the final
score was Chicago Bears 14 – Cleveland Browns 17, winning on the 56 yard field
goal by Phil Dawson. Now that's a miracle!
And
we know that all things work together
for
good to them that love God,
to
them who are called according to His purpose
Romans 8:28 KJV
*Father O’Brien appeared in LETTERS
**This is fiction, so I can write anything I want
and unfortunately the Browns appearing in the Super Bowl is truly a work of
fiction. But wait until next year!!