Periscope Down

Time to Dive

"All right, gentlemen. Let's kick this pig!" Kelsey couldn't help the grin that cut across her face when the captain called those words. She held in a giggle she knew was unprofessional.

"All lines clear."

"Get the lookouts below and button her up."

"Aye, sir."

"Prepare to rig for dive!" Those were beautiful words.

"Aye, rig for dive." Kelsey flinched slightly hearing Pascal yell that by her ear.

"Watch your drift here. Strong crosscurrents."

"I'm aware of that, sir. I've compensated." Lake was doing well so far.

"Excellent. So, you ever dived a boat before, Lieutenant? I mean on purpose?" Kelsey raised her brow slightly at the small jab. The Captain and Emily were a show of their own.

"I've done over 300 on a simulator, sir. 75 of them were strong-current dives."

"And I'm sure you scored high, but..."

"Higher than you, sir." That time Kelsey couldn't hold in the tiny laugh. The captain even gave a ghost of a smile.

"Oh. How would you know that?"

"I looked up your scores. I have a printout." Kelsey had to turn her back to hide her laughter. Of course, Emily had packed a print out for the captain.

"I have no doubt. Still, a simulator is not a boat. Nobody talks about brave men in their proud simulators." While the captain made a good point, it wasn't for lack of want. She had no doubt Emily could do anything a man could do, if not do it better.

"Way to go, sir." Pascal encouraged. "No one pushed your button." Kelsey was in this now.

"All right, gentlemen. Let's take her down."

" Prepare for dive!" "Ok, it's a small area Pascal lower it to a 10." She sniped the second time he yelled in her ear.

"Uh...Does he mean underwater?" She heard Nitro and looked over seeing her husband next to him moving his finger in front of Nitro before using a finger to push his head back. She watched as Brad stood and left for the engine room while Nitro continued to hit himself where her husband had pushed.

"OK, boys. Down we go." The captains sinister laugh made Kelsey chuckle too.

The dive started exactly as she expected with the antique of a sub. There was suddenly a huge jolt that threw everyone to the side. The captain and Kelsey were able to remain upright since they were next to the metal beam and slightly expecting something similar.

"Oh, my God."

"What the hell did you do?" "What the hell did you do?" The navigators yelled at each other.

"We're dead. Five to one says we're dead." Spots couldn't help but bet. "No, we'll suffocate before that." Her words didn't seem to make anyone feel better, but she got a smile from the captain. She shrugged, guess they can't take a joke, though it was true.

"Cool. Did we hit an iceberg?" "Off the coast of Virginia?"

"Sir, we have 12 degrees tilt starboard." Explains why they were tilted to the right she thought sarcastically.

"Check all emergency vents are open."

"The board indicates all vents are open." Emily insisted.

"I can see that."

"Captain, maybe we're taking on water." "We'd be seeing water already, XO."

"Mr. Pascal, it must be a vent." "It's a vent." Kelsey couldn't help but agree hearing the ship.

"Emergency vent two-bravo appears shut." She nodded hearing Howard confirm their theory.

"Well, then open it." "Roger."

"What?" Emily asked seeing the captain staring at her.

"That bump looks bad. You'd better get to sickbay with Kelsey."

"I'd rather not, sir. I want to finish this dive." "I've got her if she shows any sign of concussion, sir." Kelsey was quick to reassure, she didn't want to leave either.

"Very well. Continue the dive. Let's take her down to... oh, say 500 feet." Kelsey's eyes widened. This sub maxed out at that depth. With no testing it was almost crazy to take it to that depth. She loved it; the adrenaline was running knowing what she did.

"Yes, sir. Make your depth 5-0-0 feet, seven degrees down bubble."

"This is good coffee, Buckman." "It is" Kelsey seconded holding her cup as well.

"Thank you, sir, ma'am."

"I'd better go see if any of the other rooms are still tilted." Nitro yelled running out. "This one's all right."

"1-0-0 feet, ma'am." Jackson called.

"Passing 100 feet." Emily confirmed.

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In the engine room Howard was giving the new kids a lesson to remember.

"Now, keep an eye on the string. Cos the water pressure is going to squeeze the hull of this boat like a beer can." He said pointing to the clothing line strung tightly across the room. Brad simply looked at him skeptically, but didn't say anything knowing this man was a legend in Kelsey's words.

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"2-8-0 feet, ma'am." Jackson updated

"Passing 280 feet, Captain."

"Jackson, adjust trim. ...No, it's OK. Passing 300 feet."

The sound of metal groaning and thuds could be heard through the entire ship.

"Passing 350 feet, sir." Emily said as another loud crunch was heard.

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"Bet you never saw anything like that on one of them big nukes." Howard laughed at Brad's face seeing the string now almost touching the floor in the center.

'We didn't have clotheslines. We had those dryer things with the window on the front." Nitro said helpfully.

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"400 feet. No leaks." Emily spoke nervously as the metal could be seen getting slight dents. Kelsey simply looked around in wonder.

"Sir, I believe this is crush depth for this particular boat." Emily stressed.

"I have to know what she can do, Lake. You nervous?" The captain goaded her friend.

"Crush is at 500, Em." she said quietly, getting an impressed look from the captain.

"No, sir." Emily finally answered the captain's question. "Maintain seven down."

Suddenly, as they hit 500 feet a bolt flew across the room from the wall.

"Bingo! 500 feet. God, I love this job." Kelsey joined him in his excitement at making the max depth. All right, that's enough for today. Let's get the hell out of here. Mr Pascal, please, periscope depth."

"Aye, sir." Pascal said still ghostly white from the sound of the sub crushing.

"Periscope depth." He called over the speaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me be the first to congratulate you on a textbook dive." Kelsey was strangely the only one to cheer at the announcement but didn't let it stop her excitement.