Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

192 JEFF EDWARDS
cranked out some preliminary tactics. Commander Vargas and I have been
helping them plug the leaks, and I must say they look pretty sound to me.”
Captain Whiley’s eyes narrowed. “Do they now? And I assume
you’ve worked out some method of testing these new tactics before you
encounter the enemy? An enemy, I might add, that has already sent one
ship to the bottom and put two others in dry dock.”
Commander Bowie shook his head. “No, Captain. There isn’t time to
test them, but I still think it would be safer to avoid …”
Captain Whiley’s voice rose. “Did I hear you right, Commander? Did
you actually say ‘safer’? How can it possibly be safe to chuck everything
we’ve learned about USW in the trash can and substitute a bunch of
untried theories? Good god, man, these new tactics you’re trying to shove
on me haven’t even been tested in simulations, have they?”
“No, sir.”
Commander Palmer, Captain Whiley’s executive officer opened his
mouth to say something and then snapped it shut. He obviously had an
opinion on one side or the other, but it looked as though he had decided
that it was safer to keep it to himself.
“So, in a nutshell,” Captain Whiley said, “you have no idea whether or
not your ideas are tactically sound.” He looked around the room, the scorn
on his face as evident as it was in his voice. “Am I really the only person
who’s bothered by this little technicality? Safety comes from doing what
works. Well, we know what works, and we are damned well going to do
it. I am NOT going to jeopardize four United States Navy warships, and
their crews, so that you can try to armchair quarterback your way through
an engagement with proven hostile forces! You can forget that business,
right now, mister. You can all forget it!”
Chief McPherson got to her feet. Every eye in the room snapped to
her. “Captain? Request permission to speak, sir.”
Breathing heavily, Captain Whiley stared at her for a few seconds.
“What is it?”
Chief McPherson swallowed and tried with limited success to still the
trembling in her knees. “May I show you something, sir? It will illustrate
an important point that needs to be taken into consideration, no matter
whose search plans get used.”
“Very well,” Whiley snapped. “But make it fast. We don’t have time
for much more of this nonsense; those submarines are getting closer every
second.”
The chief nodded. “I understand that, sir. In fact, what I have to say
hinges on that very thought.” She reached across the table toward the
captain. “May I borrow your laser pointer, sir?”