D. M. Ulmer 01 - Silent Battleground by D. M. Ulmer Page A

the newsies, it’ll be five years before we can go back to Bainbridge.  The Soviets made a damn mess of it.  Too hot for at least the time being.”
    Eric assured Dave.  “Eve’s here with me.  The last we heard Sean got arrested for laying down in front of visitors at a Trident submarine commissioning ceremony.  But he’s still with us and I’ll take having him alive any way I can get him.  How about Bea?  I trust she’s well.”
    “Bloomin’, Eric, just bloomin’.  Since young Maddock showed up, things have gotten a lot better for her.  She’s a mite worried about him.  I keep tellin’ her a 688 at sea has a better chance of making it than us poor souls on terra firma.  She’s a woman, Eric, and needs assurances.”
    “Tell her I’m certain he’s well and that’s more than just a gut feel.”
    “Thanks, Eric.  She’ll be grateful for that, especiallysince it came from you.”
    “Least I can do for my favorite godchild.”
    “How we doin’, Eric?  Papers say we’re gettin’ our butts kicked.”
    Eric said with a grim voice, “We’ve lost just about all the hardware we needed to successfully carry out the Maritime Strategy.  Add to that some serious casualties ashore, both military and civilian.  Most of this is on the coasts.  We don’t know how they did it, but the areas attacked are dirty enough to keep us out for quite a while.  Apart from facilities ashore, submarines seem to be holding their own … just barely, but hanging in there.”
    “Guess the Maritime Strategy turned ’round and bit us submariners square on the ass.  We went along ’cause it got us outta battle-group escort and freed us up for the forward areas where the good hunting is.  Just didn’t believe the Soviets would do what they did.”
    “Hindsight is 20/20, Dave.”
    “Well at least we saved something, Eric.  The damn I told you so flakes from the candy-ass peace crowd piss me off.  If we do get taken over, wait till they hear what the KGB has to say about their damn intellectual pontificating.” 
    Dave regretted his words the instant they left his mouth since Eric’s son was an avid peace activist.
    If Eric Danis noticed, he didn’t let it show.  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”  Hmm.  What’s the best way to hit Dave with this?   A no brainer, just give it to him straight up.  “Dave, have I got a deal for you.”
    “Shoot.  I got my hand over my butt.”
    “How would you like to be activated for temporary assignment?”
    “A stupid-ass old diesel guy like me?  What could I do for the war effort?  Do I get paid?  Better not let the newsies get hold of this.  I can just see the headlines now.  Navy retiree, already getting paid too much for doing nothing, gets paid more for doing less.”
    Eric laughed.  “This thing hasn’t hurt your sense of humor one bit.  Seriously, Dave, I need you to set up an emergency submarine base.”
    Not quite believing what he heard, Dave asked, “Set up a what?”
    Although a patient man, Eric could get his back up on occasion.  “Damn it!  Hear me out.”
    Sensing his friend’s stress, Dave said, “Okay.”
    Eric went on, “We’ve got boats at sea with no place to bring them home.  All of our deep-water ports are unusable.  We need something workable.  Flimsy is good as long as it works.  You’re the best person up there to do this.”
    “Why do you say that, Eric?”
    “Two reasons.  You know the Washington coast like the back of your hand and what’s needed to pull off a refit.”
    “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Eric.  Got any specifics?”
    “There are none.  Find us a spot and then look around to see what you can lay your hands on to make it suitable for submarine refits.”
    “That’s one hell of a job, buddy.  It took eight years and three billion dollars for the base at Bangor.”
    “That’s because you weren’t running the job, Dave.”
    “I’d have cut it to four billion and twelve