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SEA OF SHADOWS 177
SAU continue on without them. But that’s not going to happen. Whiley
won’t let it happen. He’ll be there, all right. You can bet your ass on it.”
“One more thing, sir,” Commander Moody said. “Captain Whiley is a
senior full-bird captain, sir. He’s going to want to assume command of the
SAU. I don’t imagine Captain Bowie is going to like the idea of giving it
up.”
“Bowie’ll shit a brick,” the admiral said, “but there’s nothing I can do
about that. Whiley outranks him seven ways from Sunday. If Whiley
wants SAU Commander, it’s his.”
“Antietam is an air-shooter, sir,” Moody said. “I’ve been looking back
through the daily OPSUM messages; that crew hasn’t done anything but
Anti-Air Warfare for a long time. Undersea Warfare is a highly perishable
skill. If you don’t use it, you lose it. If Captain Whiley is smart, he’ll let
the Towers run the show.”
The admiral smiled. “If he were smart. Have you met Whiley?”
“No, sir.”
“He’s a dip-shit,” Admiral Rogers said. “Don’t quote me on that. Oh,
he did all right with those Iranian MiGs last month, but the man is a weasel
at heart.”
Commander Moody kept a carefully neutral face. “No comment, sir.”
The admiral’s smile grew even wider. “Good man! Now, get Antietam
on the horn, and let’s kick their ass out of port.”