TRWD37E

My Journal
By Harriman Nelson
37E

The mess specialists had already cleared the buffet table by the time Lee and Chip finally returned.
“Sorry about it taking so long to get back,” Lee said as he took his perch on the viewport sill.
“Captain,” the prime minister changed the subject, “we just heard that the People’s Republic, Russia, and North Korea have been removed from membership in the UN. I can’t help thinking your call was about that….”
Lee said nothing, staring at the deck.
“Captain?”
“Oh, sorry. My mind was elsewhere….”
“The U.N., Lee,” I said. “Was your call related to the People’s Republic, North Korea, and Russia being kicked out?”
“Partly. Actually the U.N. can only praise or scold. The longer the coalition works together on their manifesto, the easier for them to upgrade their weapons. And there’s not one damn thing we can do proactively to stop them.”
“But Fail-Safe,” the prime minister mused.
“Will only work against the technology we’re aware of,” Chip said. “They’re developing such advanced systems, ours may be completely outdated if they attack.”
“Leaving the west with two options,” Lee said. “Surrender to any threat or suffer mass destruction while trying to stop them.”
“This is still all supposition, though, surely?” the queen asked.
“ONI is pretty sure that the coalition is up to their necks with plans to use advanced atomic and biohazards against the west. And probably when we least expect it.”
“Is the president going to put the military on alert?” Jiggs asked.
“No,” Lee sighed. “He thinks we’d be better off to acquiesce to whatever they demand than fight and defend ourselves. We had a big argument about it. I could only agree that no sane person wants war. But damn it, some things are worth fighting against. Yes, any kind of war would mean death, destruction, tears, anguish, grievous conditions, the list is endless. But I sincerely believe God gave us the will to live as free men and women, to defy any tyranny that would strip us of freedom and make us slaves.”
“That was quite eloquent,” the queen said. “I certainly agree with you. Though I’m not allowed to interfere with my government, pro or con. I can listen, warn, and advise, but that’s all.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about us caving into a threat, Captain,” the prime minister said.
“Aye, Laddie,” Angus said.
“If Avery feels surrender to any threat is the best course of action,” Jiggs said, “I hope he does step down and let’s someone else take over.”
Lee rose, and turned to face the viewport, placing his hand on it, then turned toward us, and looked at me with sadness, despair and pleading for me to understand what he was about to say. Oh, I understood what he’d gone and done. But damn it, he should have at least discussed it with me before agreeing to it!
“Oh, God, Lee….”
“Avery,” he began to explain to the others, “the new secretary of state, and speaker of the house, with congressional and survivor approval after a closed emergency session, just asked me to take over as president…And I agreed.”
Mrs. C. began to cry.
“But this is good, isn’t it,” the queen told her, “it will give your country time to hold a new election and….”
“There won’t be a new election,” Chip said. “Too chaotic they told us. It’ll be for the full term.”
Lee turned to touch the viewport, his head bowed as if in apology to Seaview.
The queen rose and joined him by the viewports touching his shoulder.
“My father was forced to be king. He didn’t want the job, probably as much as you don’t want the presidency. But just about everyone in my country thinks he was the best king we ever had in our history. And you, Lee, will do just as good a job as president again as he was a king.”
“Of course he will!” Mrs. C. said, “but he’ll be miserable! I suppose you’ll want me as your First Lad again.”
“I’d rather no one I love be at the White House with me.”
“He can’t keep me out, though,” Joe said. “I’ll be his chief aide and advisor again.”
“Tell them the rest, Lee,” Chip said.
“There’ve been a few death threats to anyone taking over for Avery,” Lee said. “Mostly unsubstantiated jibber jabber from his fans who’ve never wanted him to consider stepping down. Even before all this about the People’s Republic and the coalition. It’s a given though, that the chairman would like nothing better than to see me out of the picture. So there is possibility, but that’s always a risk for any president.”
“Even so, you didn’t think to tell me?” I asked, furious. “The threats? Being asked to take over officially? Discuss options? Anything?”
“You had enough to think about with the twins on the way. And now, well, I don’t want to put any of my family or friends at risk from simply being at my side. I don’t even want Joe, but he insisted and ONI likes the idea.”
“They’ll be broadcasting the news at midnight,” Chip said. “We’ll already be on our way home. Sort of. Lee talked them into at least letting him sail Seaview to Washington. They wanted him to take the oath aboard like last time, but he managed to talk them out of it. ”
“The government’s not happy about the delay, but since they want as much of a full inaugural celebration as possible.”
“Even with possible death threats against him?” Jiggs asked.
“Possible but unlikely. Enough about my new job,” Lee said and opened up a drawer from the sideboard, pulling out two small jewelry boxes handing them to the queen and Lady O’Brien. “I hope you’ll accept these as a prayer of better things to come for all of us”
“Oh, it’s lovely!” the queen cooed over the gold wire outline of the Loch Ness Monster mother with her kelpie offspring. “Please, Lee, help me pin it on.”
Lt. O’Brien helped his great aunt with hers.
We had a few more drinks, Lee satisfying himself with bottled water. The promised tour of Seaview wasn’t mentioned again, and the queen suggested to her party that no doubt Lee had better things to do like getting Seaview home, than nattering with his guests.
Chip had Chief Sharkey go ashore to contact their drivers and to have the honor guard get topside to await our guest’s departure. I was glad to see that the designated men had all changed back into their dress blues.
Emmie, Edith, and Mrs. C. said their polite goodbyes in the nose. Soon the rest of us were topside and escorting our guests down the gangplank to their waiting cars. Of course, Lee, Jiggs, Joe, Chip, and I saluted the colors.
The press and public were happy taking pictures and video’s.
“Laddie,” Angus said embracing Lee after shaking his hand, “you’ll do fine, just fine. Like ye always do. God be with ye.”
“Thanks, Angus. I’ll miss you.”
“You and Seaview are always welcome here,” the mayor told Lee. “We’ll keep an eye on Nessie and Rascal for you.”
After quick bows to the queen, the two men got into the mayor’s car and drove off with their motorcycle escort.
The prime minister, also having said his goodbyes to us, saluted Lee, a definite ‘no-no’ the protocol offices on both sides of the pond were going to have a field day with.
“Best of luck,” he told Lee as they shook hands, and soon he too was in his vehicle and whisked away with a police car escort.
Lee’s sunshine smile hid any inner turmoil he was feeling.
“Don’t be a stranger,” Lady O’Brien soon told her great nephew before kissing him on both cheeks. “And you, Sir Lee, or Mr. President if I may, I’ll pray for you every night.” Then she kissed him on the cheeks too and waited for the queen’s farewell to us.
“Thank you all for your hospitality,” she told us as she shook all our hands, then taking Lee in her arms in a motherly embrace, ruffled his hair, “I’ll be praying for you too.”
Then she got on her tiptoes and pulled his head down to kiss him on the forehead like a mother would do for a favored son. There were soppy grins on the crowd’s faces as they ‘oohed’ at the action.
Then the queen and Lady O’Brien waved to the crowed, got into their car and with motorcycle escort lights and sirens, sped away.
Then, we waved to the crowd.
“Chip, prepare to get underway,” Lee said, “I’m going to go change.”
As soon as Lee set foot on the gangplank, the topside honor guard, still at attention, saluted their captain. Unexpected, Lee saluted them back, and after saluting the colors yet again, he disappeared through the hatch.
I had to wonder if they’d heard about Lee’s new job, or if they simply relished the idea of honoring their beloved skipper in full military fashion. Oh, Jiggs, Joe, O’Brien, Chip, and I were treated to the same recognition before Sharkey had the men stand down, but I knew it was an empty honor for us. It was Lee they worshiped.
I joined Emmie in the nose, and drank straight from the Johnny Walker. Certainly there were other intelligent persons in the country who could fill Avery’s shoes, weren’t there? Well, maybe not. And of course, there was that chaos thing if we had to wait for an election. Perhaps I was more upset that Lee hadn’t included me in his decision even though I knew I probably would have told him he had no choice. But it would have been nice to have been included in such a life altering decision.
Even so, I was mad. In fact, I’d nearly omitted saluting the flag on my way up the gangplank I was mad at my country, stealing Lee away again. Away from any kind of happiness he deserved. Especially after all he’d done for her.
And, Lee could have said no, in spite of the need for someone with his sense in the ‘big chair’. But, I chided myself, he had made the right decision.
Maybe I was simply jealous that he didn’t need my advice anymore. It was unnerving. And I felt guilty as hell for my bad thoughts. And oh so old. And useless.
“Sweetheart?” Emmie asked me, “you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just fine,” I said trying hard not to sound sarcastic, glad she didn’t catch on.
Will did, however, raising his eyebrow, but said nothing as he helped himself to a Johnny Walker as well.
Lee, in uniform, Winston in tow, returned to the Control Room shortly after the honor guard descended. Chip reported the deck watch had secured the bumpers and all stations were manned. The police had been notified and their boats lined up in front and beside us.
“Let’s get underway, Mr. Morton,” Lee ordered, as Winston joined him, whining a little.
“I wonder,” Emmie said, “if Winston knows he’s going back to the White House?”
“He only knows Lee’s broken hearted,” Mrs. C. said. “We’re all broken hearted.”
God had she’d said a mouthful. Nothing would ever be the same again.