Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

172 JEFF EDWARDS
do have a blank check for parts, we can draw the new power supply from
stores and have the backup computer on line in less than an hour.” She
used a plastic stylus to scroll down the screen on the tiny computer. “As
far as Undersea Warfare goes … all the sonars are up; we’ve got a full bag
of sonobuoys; all the ASROCs and torpedoes look good. I’d say we’re
ready to go hunt some submarines.”
Chief McPherson nodded imperceptibly. Her equipment was in good
shape, and her people were trained.
“That’s just what I wanted to hear,” the captain said. “And now we can
move on to our next order of business: tactical planning. How are we
going to go about this business of hunting down these submarines? And,
perhaps more importantly, what tactics are we going to use when we
encounter them?”
Ensign Cooper spoke up. “Ah, Captain … as the Undersea Warfare
Officer, that would be my ball of wax …”
The captain nodded for him to continue. “Absolutely, Pat. What do
you have in mind?”
Ensign Cooper swallowed visibly. “First, I suggest a thorough review
of our tactical USW doctrine. Our teams are pretty sharp right now, but it
never hurts to polish up. Then I recommend we select the proper tactics
for engaging diesel submarines in shallow water, and we construct two or
three training scenarios utilizing the On-Board Trainer. If we run each
scenario twice a day, we should be razor-sharp by the time we get far
enough south to commence our search.”
Heads nodded around the table, but Chief McPherson felt her muscles
tighten. Her boss’s plan sounded great, but she knew that it had a hole in
it—a big one. She chewed the inside of her lower lip for a few seconds.
Would it be better to point it out now? Or should she wait and do it in
private, so as not to embarrass Ensign Cooper in front of the other
officers? Of course, if she waited to bring the problem to his attention, he
would have to come back to this same table some time in the future with
his hat in his hand and admit his mistake. That might be even more
embarrassing for him.
The chief glanced up to discover that the captain was staring at her with
a strange look on his face. Then it hit her. The captain already knew there
was a problem. That was why he’d summoned her to a meeting that was
otherwise all commissioned officers. He not only knew that there was a
problem; he knew that she would spot it. And, obviously, he expected her
to have a hand in fixing it.
She cleared her throat. “Uh … Captain? If I may?”
The captain nodded. “Of course, Chief.”