Under the Ice

“But first off, how are you feeling? Did that medicine Pills prescribed for you do the job?”

The ship’s senior sonar technician nodded.

“I’m feeling much better. Captain. The fever’s gone, and all I have left is a little discomfort in the lower left portion of my jaw.”

“Good,” replied Colter.

“I hope you’re still planning to see the base dentist.”

“That I am, sir. In fact, I’m headed there right now.

I talked it over with the guys, and they said if I didn’t go to the clinic right away, I’d most likely put it off until the end of my leave. And that’s not exactly something to look forward to, is it, sir?”

“No it isn’t, Mr. Roth,” answered the captain.

“Get that problem looked after professionally and we can all rest easier on our next patrol. After all, I can’t afford to have my best man in the sound shack down with any kind of ailment. Speaking of the devil, how did that equipment check out?”

Still basking in the warmth of the unexpected compliment his commanding officer had just given him, Stanley Roth quickly replied, “We’re still showing a problem in the aft passive range-determination array,

Captain. I think it’s merely a software glitch, sir. To find out for certain, I’ve got Seaman Warren running a complete program analysis.”

“Very good,” the captain nodded.

“Make certain Warren lets the chief know if it’s anything more serious than a software screw up. There’s no telling how long we’re in for, and if we’ve got a major problem, I’d like to get at it with all due haste.”

“Captain, I’d be more than willing to do the rest of the check myself,” the petty officer volunteered.

“I’d like nothing more than that, Mr. Roth. But have you forgotten about that appointment at the dental clinic? Have that tooth looked after, and then go out on the town and enjoy yourself for a night.

Lord knows you’ve earned it. Besides, Seaman Warren seems like a capable enough fellow. Don’t you agree, XO?”

Al Layman took the scarred bit of pipe out of his mouth and succinctly answered.

“He’ll do. So listen to your captain and hit the gangway. Roth.”

“Yes, sir!” the petty officer snapped as he turned to exit the wardroom.

Enlivened by the likable sonar technician’s visit, the XO stood.

“Looks like I’d better get the show on the road myself. Skipper. The crew manifest is on your desk. Lieutenant Marshall is the current officer of the deck. On the way out, I’ll make certain the chief gets the word on hooking up the old ice machine.”

As Layman began gathering up his belongings, he remembered one last detail.

“By the way. Skipper, you never did say how you were going to spend your leave.”

Standing himself, Matt Colter answered.

“Right now, it looks like I’ll probably just hang around here for a while. I’ve got plenty of paperwork to get caught up on, and if I do get the hankering for some solid land under my feet and a little fresh air, maybe I’ll go up to Mystic for a day.”

“You do that,” advised Al Layman firmly.

“Because if there’s anyone on board this ship who deserves some time to himself, it’s you. Skipper.”

“I don’t know about that, XO. It seems to me you put in your fair share of overtime on this last patrol.

So get out of here, and enjoy that second honeymoon!”

Mockingly saluting, the XO smiled and turned for his cabin. Alone now in the wardroom. Matt finished off his coffee and decided to take off for the ship’s conning tower to see how the technicians were doing with the repair of the faulty surface-scanning Pathometer. To get to this portion of the Defiance, he exited through the forward hatchway. This put him in an equipment-packed passageway lined with stainless steel piping.

With a fluid ease, he passed by the locked radio room, picturing the state-of-the-art receivers and transmitters in this all-important compartment, equipment that allowed them almost instant contact with command even when deeply submerged. Next, he walked by the sonar room, or sound shack as it was affectionately called. The door to this room was open, and Colter could see Seaman Lester Warren hunched over one of the consoles. Though Warren was fairly new to the Navy, he was a self-proclaimed computer nerd, his fascination with such equipment having begun in grade school. A quick learner, the Texan had graduated first in his computer-science class while in basic training, and when it was learned that he had above average hearing, he was steered into the arcane art of sonar detection. So far he showed great promise, and with Petty Officer Roth’s expert guidance, the youngster could have a bright career.

Confident that the sonarman could find the glitch Roth had suspected, the captain continued forward.

This brought him into that spacious portion of the vessel where the sub’s central control room and attack center were located. Several members of the crew were gathered around a console under the capable direction of the ship’s current OOD, Lieutenant Don Marshall.