forever?"
.
SPACE COAST, FLORIDA
VICINITY OF 20deg NORTH AND 80deg WEST
15 SEPTEMBER
1500 HOURS LOCAL
THE Battlecraft emerged from the Canaveral Locks with Paul Watkins in firm control. As the vehicle skimmed across the Atlantic Ocean, the skipper, Lieutenant Bill Brannigan, sat in his slightly elevated position overlooking Watkins and Lieutenant Veronica Rivers on the weapons systems. Brannigan had already gotten into the habit of referring to the control area as "the office."
Bobby Lee Atwill sat with his beloved Poder-Ventaja gas-turbine engine in his small compartment just aft in the cabin. He monitored the instrumentation like a mother caring for her infant. The technician made minute adjustments when his ears picked up even the faintest out-of-tune sounds that betrayed rough spots in the power plant's operation.
Lieutenant Jim Cruiser and Senior Chief Petty Officer Buford Dawkins sat in the small space between the power plant and the space they jokingly referred to as the wardroom. Here were the refrigerator, microwave, table, and benches for eating and relaxing.
Veronica Rivers spoke into the intercom to the skipper. "Sir, I'm in contact with the Dan Daly . She's ready to receive us in her well. ETA is twenty minutes."
"All right, Lieutenant," Brannigan replied. "Helmsman, steady on course."
"Steady on course, aye, sir," Watkins replied.
The short voyage continued in silence as the Space Coast of Florida quickly faded from view off the stern. Watkins, holding to the course set by Veronica, had the throttle on two-thirds speed , and the ACV whipped along above the water at a steady sixty-two miles an hour. The ride was smooth with some gentle buffeting. During trials when the throttle was opened to flank speed , the Battlecraft hit a respectable ninety-four miles an hour. Bobby Lee Atwill swore he would be able to add another two or three mph within a couple of weeks.
'The Dan Daly is in sight, Captain," Veronica reported.
"All right, Watkins," Brannigan said, "take control and bring us into the well."
'Take control and bring us into the well, aye, sir."
Brannigan had realized that the custom of having the helmsman repeat every order was a thorny habit to follow during docking procedures. "I tell you what, Watkins. When you take over control of the vehicle to bring her into our mother ship or a dock, just do your thing without repeating what I say."
"Aye, aye, sir."
"If you do something wrong, I'll let you know," Brannigan said.
Senior Chief Dawkins added, "And I'll make a comment or two myself."
"I hear you both loud and clear," Watkins said with a grin.
When the throttle was cut back, Atwill came out of his engine compartment to join the crew. Watkins moved on a perpendicular course across the Daly's stern, then made a sharp turn and brought the ACV into the ship's well in a smooth maneuver at one-third speed , reversing the airscrews at just the right time to ease into the tight area at a slow crawl.
Chief Petty Officer Warren Donaldson of the Daly's well-operations crew, whistled in admiration. "Damn nice job!" He looked into the cabin. "Hello, sir!" he called to Brannigan. "Welcome to the Dan Daly."
"Nice to be aboard," Brannigan said, stepping across the deck and jumping up on the well ramp. He pointed to the Battlecraft. "What do you think of our toy?"
"Jesus!" Donaldson said. "It looks like somebody took a helicopter fuselage and sat it on an ACV deck. Look at them weapons wings."
"It's pretty much the same idea."
Dawkins, Veronica Rivers, and Jim Cruiser joined them while Watkins and Atwill helped the ship's sailors secure the vehicle prior to the closing of the well. As soon as the task was finished, Brannigan introduced them to Donaldson. This was more than a formality. The chief petty officer would be sending them off on missions and greeting them when they returned.
"Sir, your detachment is up on deck waiting for you," Chief Donaldson said.
This unexpected linking up with the
.
SPACE COAST, FLORIDA
VICINITY OF 20deg NORTH AND 80deg WEST
15 SEPTEMBER
1500 HOURS LOCAL
THE Battlecraft emerged from the Canaveral Locks with Paul Watkins in firm control. As the vehicle skimmed across the Atlantic Ocean, the skipper, Lieutenant Bill Brannigan, sat in his slightly elevated position overlooking Watkins and Lieutenant Veronica Rivers on the weapons systems. Brannigan had already gotten into the habit of referring to the control area as "the office."
Bobby Lee Atwill sat with his beloved Poder-Ventaja gas-turbine engine in his small compartment just aft in the cabin. He monitored the instrumentation like a mother caring for her infant. The technician made minute adjustments when his ears picked up even the faintest out-of-tune sounds that betrayed rough spots in the power plant's operation.
Lieutenant Jim Cruiser and Senior Chief Petty Officer Buford Dawkins sat in the small space between the power plant and the space they jokingly referred to as the wardroom. Here were the refrigerator, microwave, table, and benches for eating and relaxing.
Veronica Rivers spoke into the intercom to the skipper. "Sir, I'm in contact with the Dan Daly . She's ready to receive us in her well. ETA is twenty minutes."
"All right, Lieutenant," Brannigan replied. "Helmsman, steady on course."
"Steady on course, aye, sir," Watkins replied.
The short voyage continued in silence as the Space Coast of Florida quickly faded from view off the stern. Watkins, holding to the course set by Veronica, had the throttle on two-thirds speed , and the ACV whipped along above the water at a steady sixty-two miles an hour. The ride was smooth with some gentle buffeting. During trials when the throttle was opened to flank speed , the Battlecraft hit a respectable ninety-four miles an hour. Bobby Lee Atwill swore he would be able to add another two or three mph within a couple of weeks.
'The Dan Daly is in sight, Captain," Veronica reported.
"All right, Watkins," Brannigan said, "take control and bring us into the well."
'Take control and bring us into the well, aye, sir."
Brannigan had realized that the custom of having the helmsman repeat every order was a thorny habit to follow during docking procedures. "I tell you what, Watkins. When you take over control of the vehicle to bring her into our mother ship or a dock, just do your thing without repeating what I say."
"Aye, aye, sir."
"If you do something wrong, I'll let you know," Brannigan said.
Senior Chief Dawkins added, "And I'll make a comment or two myself."
"I hear you both loud and clear," Watkins said with a grin.
When the throttle was cut back, Atwill came out of his engine compartment to join the crew. Watkins moved on a perpendicular course across the Daly's stern, then made a sharp turn and brought the ACV into the ship's well in a smooth maneuver at one-third speed , reversing the airscrews at just the right time to ease into the tight area at a slow crawl.
Chief Petty Officer Warren Donaldson of the Daly's well-operations crew, whistled in admiration. "Damn nice job!" He looked into the cabin. "Hello, sir!" he called to Brannigan. "Welcome to the Dan Daly."
"Nice to be aboard," Brannigan said, stepping across the deck and jumping up on the well ramp. He pointed to the Battlecraft. "What do you think of our toy?"
"Jesus!" Donaldson said. "It looks like somebody took a helicopter fuselage and sat it on an ACV deck. Look at them weapons wings."
"It's pretty much the same idea."
Dawkins, Veronica Rivers, and Jim Cruiser joined them while Watkins and Atwill helped the ship's sailors secure the vehicle prior to the closing of the well. As soon as the task was finished, Brannigan introduced them to Donaldson. This was more than a formality. The chief petty officer would be sending them off on missions and greeting them when they returned.
"Sir, your detachment is up on deck waiting for you," Chief Donaldson said.
This unexpected linking up with the
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