The assignment Redux

By R. L. Keller

(You’ll need to have read my “The Assignment” for this to make sense 😊 RLK)

It was an all-too uncommon occurrence aboard Seaview – a totally quiet, relaxed day. No crazy scientists, no deep-sea monsters, no mechanical malfunctions. It was almost boring. After dinner Chip and Lee gave a few last-minute instructions to Lt. O’Brien, early as usual taking over “C” watch, then Chip headed for his cabin to finish up some paperwork and Lee headed for one of his casual ‘walkaboats’ – his way of checking in with whichever crewmen had the duty in the various departments, keeping his finger on the pulse of the giant submarine. It made him frown; it was so unusual that there wasn’t anything out of order, and then he gave himself a quick mental kick where it would do the most good for even thinking such a thought! He did have to admit, however, that it was most unusual.

With his own paperwork caught up – also a very rare occurrence, Lee spent almost three hours working his way slowly through the entire vessel, even stopping briefly in Sick Bay and putting a surprised smile on the CMO’s face – Lee almost never set foot in that part of the boat unless he was either forced to because of illness or injury, or he was checking on one of his crew who happened to be there for the same reason. He caused a further grin to appear on the doctor’s face when a raised eyebrow invited an explanation for the visit. “Bored,” Lee admitted, and left with the sound of Will’s chuckles in his ears.

Lee had just ambled in the aft hatch of the Conn when he heard footsteps coming down the spiral stairs and Admiral Nelson appeared. Nelson hesitated at the bottom and Lee walked forward. “Something you need, Admiral?” he asked when Nelson didn’t speak first.

“No, no, Lee,” Nelson admitted. “Just…” He didn’t finish the thought.

But Lee nodded. “At loose ends, like me,” he guessed.

“What does it say that we can’t handle a quiet cruise?” Nelson asked him sheepishly.

Lee pretended to give that some thought. “Hopeless?” he finally came up with.

Nelson chuckled. “That works,” he agreed. “Even Chip seems to be relaxed.” The phrase was barely out of his mouth when khaki slacks started hurriedly down the stairs. Nelson sent Lee a look. “So much for that thought,” he told Lee. They both smiled as Chip came to a stop, almost between them.

“Sirs?” the blond asked tentatively, having no idea what he’d just stepped into – literally.

“Problems?” Nelson asked him. “You seem in a hurry.”

The blond’s fair complexion turned several shades of red. “No, sir,” still came out in Chip’s normally firm tones. “Just finished all my reports. For a change,” was added a bit softer. “Thought I’d go grab a cup of joe in the Wardroom…”

“And raid the fridge for the rest of the apple crisp,” Lee finished, referring to Cookie’s dessert for dinner.

Chip sent his CO a glare but it disintegrated quickly as both Lee and Nelson snickered. “Sirs,” he all but mumbled this time and scurried aft.

“That was fun,” Lee said softly. At Nelson’s upraised eyebrow he grinned, but lowered his head in the ‘little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar’ look. “It’s really hard to get the better of him,” he admitted. “He’s always been the confident one.”

“Your big brother,” Nelson told him, his voice gentle and caring.

“Yes, sir.” They were both quiet. Lee glanced around the Conn – it was such an instinctual move that Nelson was pretty sure Lee wasn’t even aware he was doing it. He touched Lee’s shoulder and motioned toward the table in the Nose and they both sat and watched the bubbles out the windows, caused by Seaview’s movement through the water.

“But he wasn’t always so confident,” Nelson spoke, almost off-handedly. “He learned a lot from you, as well.”

“Sir?” Lee raised an eyebrow.

Nelson smiled. “Oh, he impressed me early at Annapolis; you both did, you know that.”

“Yes, sir.” Lee’s eyes once more lowered shyly, causing Nelson’s grin to spread.

“I saw great potential.” He tapped Lee’s shoulder. “And I was right.” Lee remained quiet, his head lowered but still watching Nelson’s face. “Did worry about Chip a time or two, early on,” he admitted, “but any doubts I had were totally dismissed when you were third classmen.”

“I’m not sure I follow you, sir,” Lee told him cautiously.

“The solo performance,” Nelson said, puzzlement now in his voice. “Chip, confident as he always was, always seemed…” He thought about how to explain, and Lee didn’t interrupt; just continued to give his boss a questioning look. “I wasn’t sure at the beginning if he really had the willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ as it were,” Nelson settled on. “I’m perfectly aware that it was a good deal of your pushing that made him number two in the class.” Lee started to open his mouth but an upraised hand from Nelson closed it. “No, Lee. Don’t deny it. Chip was perfectly happy being one of the guys. You made him want to be better.”

“Nobody made Chip do anything back then,” came out in a soft grumble, causing Nelson to burst out laughing. They both glanced around the Conn, catching quickly covered grins on most of the faces, and Lee’s frown faded. “But something happened that changed your mind, sir?” he asked carefully.

“The performance,” Nelson told him. Lee merely looked confused. “The Glee Club where Chip had the solo.” Now Nelson’s voice held a note of uncertainty.

“Sir? Chip was a basket case,” Lee told him, finally remembering the incident. “You’re right, Chip never wanted to ‘stand out’ per se. When Capt. Alstott assigned him the solo I thought Chip was going to have a nervous breakdown.” He finally grinned. “I’d never seen him so nervous.” The grin spread. “Even French tests didn’t throw him that far off balance.” They both grinned – Chip made no bones about hating that particular class. “I kept telling him that he’d do fine but he wouldn’t listen.” Lee paused. “And something happened the day before the show that nearly drove him over the top. I wasn’t sure he’d actually make it through.”

Nelson got thoughtful. “He didn’t blame me?”

“Why would he blame you, sir?”

“I bumped into him as he was headed for rehearsal.” Nelson grinned. “Afraid I startled him.”

“You intimidated him back then, sir,” Lee admitted. “He wasn’t sure…” Lee closed his mouth, deciding that he’d rather not incur his XO’s wrath by mentioning a few of Chip’s more uncomplimentary remarks about then Capt. Nelson.

Nelson none-the-less nodded, causing Lee to once more lower his head. “Be that as it may,” the older man let it pass. “Chip never told you about bumping into me?”

“No, sir.”

Nelson shook his head. “I realized later that he’d seemed more nervous than I’d ever seen him. He’d been singing to himself as he crossed the Yard.” He grinned. “He does have a very mellow, pleasant voice.”

“Yes, sir,” and Lee grinned as well.

“The next day I had my proof that he was every bit the young man I thought that he’d be.”

“How’s that, sir?”

“I’d spoken to Capt. Alstott.” He grinned. “Ol’ Capt. Stogy,” he said fondly, and Lee chuckled at the memory of Chip using the nickname a time or three for the no-nonsense instructor. “I ran into him and mentioned something about his having given Chip the solo.” Nelson’s smile spread. “He grumbled something about it being fit punishment, and hoped the young man wouldn’t embarrass the entire Glee Club. He walked away before I could ask what he meant.”

Lee all but snickered. “Capt. Alstott overheard Chip bad-mouthing and putting down submariners. Back then he didn’t think much of the ‘silent service’.”

“That’s right,” Nelson held up a finger and shook it slowly. “I’d forgotten that.” His turn to chuckle. “And Alstott was a former submariner.”

“Yes, sir.”

“But what I saw, what stood out in my mind, was a young man given an assignment that he clearly had no love for…”

“And was a total wreck about screwing it up,” Lee added, still grinned.

“Accomplishing it to perfection,” Nelson finished. “That told me Chip had the character to take on anything dished out to him and handle it, no matter what. That’s a good officer!”

“Yes, sir,” Lee agreed, and then ducked his head again as he realized the expression on Nelson’s face left no doubt as to the Admiral’s double meaning for the comment.

Movement from the aft hatch caught both men’s attention and Chip strode purposely through the Conn, stopping just short of where they sat.

“Ah, yes,” Nelson told Lee with a smirk. “Another assignment handled with perfection.” He turned to Chip. “I can see that the Galley is totally under control for the night.”

“Sir?” Chip’s voice held total confusion. Even Lee was looking puzzled.

“There’s a piece of apple on your tie,” Nelson told his Executive Officer, straight-faced.

Chip quickly glanced down, palmed the tell-tale bit of fruit, and with a mumbled, “Good night, sirs,” headed quickly up the stairs. Nelson looked at Lee and they both burst out laughing.