D. M. Ulmer 01 - Silent Battleground by D. M. Ulmer Page B

and the lower level waters of Puget Sound.  A fish ladder bypassed the locks and facilitated annual salmon migrations to the many headwaters that fed the lake.  A ladder featured windows to view these magnificent fish, overcoming all odds while heading to the waters of their birth.  There, they spawned and then swam further upstream to die so their prodigy could survive by eating fragments of the decaying carcasses that washed downstream.
    He decided he would live out his declining years in these robust surroundings.
    Denver left Bremerton too earlyfor lingering good-byes to friends and family and would remain at sea two weeks conducting independent exercises during the way to their homeport in San Diego.  There, an extended repair period alongside a submarine tender to clean up post-overhaul material discrepancies would afford time for the crew to re-establish home and social lives before Denver put to sea for her next deployment.  The captain explained this to his crew on the eve of her departure, but made no mention of the war scare laid upon them by Commodore Danis.
    As officer of the deck, Brent guided Denver over the course laid down by the navigator and carried out the ship’s routine as specified in the captain’s night order book.  Quiet prevailed below decks as the crew,exhausted from the trying final days at the yard; lay in their bunks for a much-needed rest.  Only watch standers remained up and about.
    Denver reached the Strait of Juan de Fuca and turned west then submerged for the final leg of her seaward transit.
    Later, a stewardsman knocked on the junior officers’ stateroom door then opened it . “Mister Maddock.  Wake up.  The captain wants a meeting in the wardroom in fifteen minutes.”
    “Thank you,” Brent replied.  He looked at his watch … 0930.  He’d slept less than an hour.  The morning watch doesn’t get a fair share of sack time, but what else is new?
    Shortly, the officers assembled and Olsen summoned the captain.
    Bostwick opened with an uncharacteristic jovial voice.   “Damn, it’s sure good to be out of the yard.”
    General nods of agreement followed.
    “Now we get back to the real Navy.  No need to say how important it is for us to make the most of the next fourteen days.  Before long, we’re back in the squadron and our work’s cut out if we expect to keep that red E hanging on the fairwater.”
    Bostwick referred to SUBPAC’s award for engineering excellence won by Denver the previous year.
    The captain continued, “Additionally, we can expect an ORSE (Operational Reactor Safeguard Examination) soon after our return.  We must be ready.”  Bostwick paused and scanned each officer’s face. “Zero tolerance for screw-ups, but you all know that so give the executive officer your training requirements.  You know where we need attention.  The exec and I will set priorities as we see them.”
    Looking at Olsen, who nodded his assent, the captain continued with, “The ORSE is first then we concentrate efforts to insure records are updated.  With the yard workload, I know much of that is on hold, but we’ve got to get crackin’. We’ve come out of the yard in great shape.  No one will know this unless it’s documented.”
    Brent thought, Who needs to know besides us?
    Continuing the lecture Bostwick said, “Advancement in rate is next.  We led the squadron last year and now I want to lead the force.  Promote ’em and retain ’em is the best re-enlistment policy I know.  Does anyone have a better idea?”
    Astonished that Bostwick did not address the war readiness counsel given by Commodore Danis in his speech, Brent asked, “What about combat training?”
    Dan Patrick frowned.  He recognized the precursor to yet another Bostwick-Maddock donnybrook.  Uh-oh! Here it comes.
    Bostwick said in a tone forced to sound steady, “There’s much to be done to restore pre-overhaul readiness levels.  I look to you, Brent, to take the lead.  However, I