The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

'Drop speed to sixteen knots, my authority,' the First Officer said.
'Aye,' the helmsman acknowledged.
'We're not going to break this ship while I'm on the bridge,' the senior officer
announced.
'Makes sense to me, Pete.' The Second Officer was on his way to the trouble
board, looking for an indicator light for flooding or other problems. The board
was clear. The ship was designed to handle seas far worse than this, but safety
at sea demanded vigilance. 'Okay here, Pete.'
The growler phone rang. 'Bridge, First Officer here.'
'What the hell was that?' the Chief Engineer demanded.
'Well, it was sorta a big wave, ChEng,' Pete answered laconically. 'Any
problems?'
'No kidding. It really clobbered the forward bulkhead. I thought I was gonna eat
my window – looks like a porthole is cracked. I really think we might want to
slow down some. I hate getting wet in bed, y'know?'
'I already ordered that.'
'Good.' The line clicked off.
'What gives?' It was the Captain in pajamas and bathrobe. He managed to see the
last of the seawater draining off the main deck.
'Fifty-sixty-footer. I've dropped speed to sixteen. Twenty's too much for the
conditions.'
'Guess you're right,' the Captain grumbled. Every extra hour alongside the dock
meant fifteen thousand dollars, and the owners did not like extra expenses.
'Build it back up soon as you can.' The captain withdrew before his bare feet
got too cold.
'Will do,' Pete told the empty doorway.
'Speed fifteen point eight,' the helmsman reported.
'Very well.' Both officers settled back down and sipped at their coffee. It
wasn't really frightening, just somewhat exciting, and the moonlit spray flying
off the bow was actually rather beautiful to see. The First Officer looked down
at the deck. It took a moment for him to realize.
'Hit the lights.'
'What's the problem?' The Second Officer moved two steps to the panel and
flipped on the deck floods.
'Well, we still have one of them.'
'One of – ' the junior officer looked down. 'Oh. The other three . . .'
The First Officer shook his head. How could you describe the power of mere
water? 'That's strong chain, too, the wave snapped it like yarn. Impressive.'
The Second Officer picked up the phone and punched a button. 'Bosun, our deck
cargo just got swept over the side. I need a damage check on the front of the
superstructure.' He didn't have to say that the check should be done from inside
the structure.
An hour later, it was clear that they'd been lucky. The single strike from the
deck cargo had landed right on a portion of the superstructure backed by sturdy
steel beams. Damage was minor, some welding and painting to be done. That didn't
change the fact that someone would have to cut down a new tree. Three of the
four logs were gone, and that Japanese temple would have to wait.