that’s all. It’s been some time since I’ve had to lock a man up, but
go and ask Chief Petty Officer Jacobs if I’m willing to do it. I once locked
him up for six weeks without letting him out.”
Tosco looked surprised as Guy hoped he would be.
He capitalised on the advantage by continuing.
“That’s right, Lieutenant. Frank Jacobs is my oldest friend, and about the
straightest shooter you could ever hope to meet, but even he got on the wrong
side of me once. Let’s see how you fare if I deem you guilty of
insubordination. Or even if you just piss me off.”
Tosco licked his lips and kept quiet.
“I will take your silence as a good sign. I
appreciate your initiative on checking the response vehicles. Carry on. I’ll
let you know if you’re needed.”
Guy marched away, just as the ship lifted anchor
and began to turn starboard.
“Captain!” Tosco shouted after him.
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“We’re moving. Are we heading into harbour?”
“It’s very likely, yes.”
“Then why give me such a hard time if you agreed
with me all along?”
“Because it’s not my job to agree with you, Lieutenant.
It’s your job to agree with me.”
***
“We’re just coming up to a
half-mile out,” Frank informed Guy when he reached the pilothouse. “What do you
want to do, Captain?”
Guy picked up his binoculars and took another
glance at the city. From nearer shore, he could make out the snarled traffic
and panicking mobs of people. There was full-scale panic in Manhattan, but it
was still unclear why. People leapt from the docks into the water, or clambered
into boats. Small pleasure craft joined giant transporters as a mass exodus
headed for the sea. Those unlucky enough to miss a chance at boarding a vessel
now flailed about in the river, heads bobbing under for several seconds at a
time before reappearing. People were drowning.
Guy decided. “We’re heading into harbour, but keep
our approach slow. There’s a lot of traffic coming our way.”
“Tosco will think he got his own way,” Frank
commented.
“Aye, but he might reconsider his attitude going
forward. I told him about the time I locked you in the brig for six weeks.”
Frank looked at him and frowned. “You mean when I
had a staph infection and you had to quarantine me? And it was less than two
weeks.”
“Yes, but Lieutenant Tosco doesn’t know that. He
thinks I left the most honest man on board to rot. It should remind him who’s
in charge.”
Frank chuckled. “With no time to spare too. Any
more lip from him and I was going to throw him overboard myself.”
“I can deal with Lieutenant Tosco.”
“I know you can, but I’d hate to see you get your
hands dirty. The crew likes the Lieutenant and they won’t be pleased if you take
a firm hand against him.”
“They don’t have to like it, Frank; only
understand what happens when you question the captain of this ship. Now, take
us into harbour, Chief Petty.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
***
They almost collided with a
millionaire’s catamaran on the way into harbour, but they eventually managed to
navigate their way to the docks of the Hudson River. From there they had no
need of binoculars to see the devastation. The senior officers, and a portion
of the crew, were all standing inside the pilothouse, staring out the window at
a scene none of them could understand.
In New York, shell-shocked victims staggered down
the streets in various states of ruin, blood covering most of them and many mortally
wounded. One old man carried his own severed arm around with him in a
bewildered daze, while a sobbing younger woman held a bundle of gore-streaked
rags that might have been a baby.
Tosco was shaking his head. “What in God’s name
has happened?”
Guy wished he had the answer, but it continued to elude
him. All that was clear was that some disaster had befallen Manhattan—possibly,
dare he even think it, something worse than 9/11. “Has Command come back to us
yet?” he
go and ask Chief Petty Officer Jacobs if I’m willing to do it. I once locked
him up for six weeks without letting him out.”
Tosco looked surprised as Guy hoped he would be.
He capitalised on the advantage by continuing.
“That’s right, Lieutenant. Frank Jacobs is my oldest friend, and about the
straightest shooter you could ever hope to meet, but even he got on the wrong
side of me once. Let’s see how you fare if I deem you guilty of
insubordination. Or even if you just piss me off.”
Tosco licked his lips and kept quiet.
“I will take your silence as a good sign. I
appreciate your initiative on checking the response vehicles. Carry on. I’ll
let you know if you’re needed.”
Guy marched away, just as the ship lifted anchor
and began to turn starboard.
“Captain!” Tosco shouted after him.
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“We’re moving. Are we heading into harbour?”
“It’s very likely, yes.”
“Then why give me such a hard time if you agreed
with me all along?”
“Because it’s not my job to agree with you, Lieutenant.
It’s your job to agree with me.”
***
“We’re just coming up to a
half-mile out,” Frank informed Guy when he reached the pilothouse. “What do you
want to do, Captain?”
Guy picked up his binoculars and took another
glance at the city. From nearer shore, he could make out the snarled traffic
and panicking mobs of people. There was full-scale panic in Manhattan, but it
was still unclear why. People leapt from the docks into the water, or clambered
into boats. Small pleasure craft joined giant transporters as a mass exodus
headed for the sea. Those unlucky enough to miss a chance at boarding a vessel
now flailed about in the river, heads bobbing under for several seconds at a
time before reappearing. People were drowning.
Guy decided. “We’re heading into harbour, but keep
our approach slow. There’s a lot of traffic coming our way.”
“Tosco will think he got his own way,” Frank
commented.
“Aye, but he might reconsider his attitude going
forward. I told him about the time I locked you in the brig for six weeks.”
Frank looked at him and frowned. “You mean when I
had a staph infection and you had to quarantine me? And it was less than two
weeks.”
“Yes, but Lieutenant Tosco doesn’t know that. He
thinks I left the most honest man on board to rot. It should remind him who’s
in charge.”
Frank chuckled. “With no time to spare too. Any
more lip from him and I was going to throw him overboard myself.”
“I can deal with Lieutenant Tosco.”
“I know you can, but I’d hate to see you get your
hands dirty. The crew likes the Lieutenant and they won’t be pleased if you take
a firm hand against him.”
“They don’t have to like it, Frank; only
understand what happens when you question the captain of this ship. Now, take
us into harbour, Chief Petty.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
***
They almost collided with a
millionaire’s catamaran on the way into harbour, but they eventually managed to
navigate their way to the docks of the Hudson River. From there they had no
need of binoculars to see the devastation. The senior officers, and a portion
of the crew, were all standing inside the pilothouse, staring out the window at
a scene none of them could understand.
In New York, shell-shocked victims staggered down
the streets in various states of ruin, blood covering most of them and many mortally
wounded. One old man carried his own severed arm around with him in a
bewildered daze, while a sobbing younger woman held a bundle of gore-streaked
rags that might have been a baby.
Tosco was shaking his head. “What in God’s name
has happened?”
Guy wished he had the answer, but it continued to elude
him. All that was clear was that some disaster had befallen Manhattan—possibly,
dare he even think it, something worse than 9/11. “Has Command come back to us
yet?” he
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