My Journal

By Harriman Nelson

15 

It was about 1040 and I was sitting on the stool by the plot table, just enjoying being in the Control Room. It was difficult not to interfere, but I’d learned to pretty much stay out of the way, unless necessary, of course.  And those necessary times were getting far and few between. .

The non-secure call from ONI proved my musings that I was on my way to becoming a dinosaur. The call was for Lee. But instead of heading aft to pick it up in the privacy of his cabin, he took it on the phone. 

“Yes, this is the captain,” Lee said into the receiver, “we’re in Australian waters now…I see…but…but…no, I’m not complaining, but we’ve come this far and…”

He listened politely or at least tried to. But then he exploded.

“I’m still the best damn agent in the field! And you can tell Cartwright I’m going to prove it! Seaview out.”

 Lee slammed the receiver into its cradle and began to mutter to himself and pace along the deck. But when his four letter words morphed into what sounded like Greek, French, Italian, and God knew what else, I felt it time to intervene.

“Lee?” I asked, hopping off of my stool and gently tapping him on the shoulder.

“The… er, package ONI promised us won’t be arriving as planned.”

 “What’s ONI got to do with the helping us with the Aneome?” Riley hissed to Ski. 

“There is no sub,” Lee said quietly.

There was a slight gasp from the Control Room crew.

“Everyone might as well know. But keep it under your hats. That means anyone not on the boat. The Anemone was a rouse to keep anyone from knowing our true objective. The Hewlett Sea Lab. The Australian Prime Minister requested ONI to have us check it out for anything suspicious. When my prosthesis was damaged, ONI arranged for a top secret replacement. But…”

“Go on, Lee,” I said.

“But they had to scrap their plans because the president decided that it would be politically incorrect should it be found out that ONI went ahead with a replacement when congress had halted the idea.”

“But if the sea lab is up to something….” Ski said.

“It would have been helpful. Now, ONI tells me that without a fully functioning prostheses, I won’t be able to complete the mission.”

“A lot of folks do just fine with only one eye,” Riley said. “ONI’s sure acting stupid, unless, like, I mean…if that crazy eyeball of yours had more to it than that wacky headlight.”

“It had X-ray vision,” Lee said quietly.

“Damn,” Ski said, as awed as his shipmates.

“But, even without it,” Lee said, “I’m still going to investigate. By whatever means possible.”

“You can count on us to help with whatever you need,” Ski said, as his shipmates added their own ‘you got its’.

“Thanks,” Lee said. “Unless the president tells the Aussies to inform the public that the crew of the Anenome managed to make repairs themselves and get to their secret base, we’re going to make a lot of nose when we get to the trench. Then after, when we’ve ‘finished’ and we send the ‘sonar resistant’ Anemone on her way, we’ll continue toward the sea lab and invite Dr. Hewlett aboard while I go check out the sea lab. Oh, and we’re also inviting his daughter-in-law, a cat whisperer to assist us with Mallie. She’s been attacking us.”

“But Mallie wouldn’t hurt a flea,” Ski said.

“No, but she will be. Leave the details to me.”

“Aye, sir,”

With that he headed aft.

I decided it best to leave him alone. No doubt he was going to be in for a grilling once Cartwright knew he was going to bust orders. I’d be in for it too, letting him.

What I wanted to know was if the replacement eyeball that Bethesda had been working on had been finished, and if it was being ‘held’ for ONI’s top agent, or if it had already been given to someone else on the list of eyeless agents. It wasn’t the sort of thing you could just insert like a contact lens.

Or was it?

And so, I’m in my cabin, mulling things over and jotting down my thoughts in this journal, the least of which was my discovery, stopping by the lab, that one of my clams opened wide enough to reveal it had a pearl inside. Not all that remarkable for any bivalve, but I could see it had a turquoise luster to it.

Many new discoveries are named for the discoverer. I’ll hold off calling these Nelson clams, but I am going to register the pearl or any others as ‘Emily’ pearls. In fact, I think I’ll call Emmie right now and see if she wants the pearl as a necklace, broach, or ring.

Then I’ll go talk to Lee.