Now We Are No Longer Strangers

"There were times when I wondered if we'd ever make it, pet," Wally agreed, flipping the medallion of one of the medals on his chest so the obverse was to the front. "First, taking command of a team in shock at the loss of its Project Manager at a crucial juncture; then having to prove myself to the ring-knockers and the boffins -- "

"Including the time you, with great artistry, ripped that engineer out of the hydrodynamics program at Rickover Hall a new asshole for patronizing Patch Flores when Patch came up with a better propulsion configuration than he'd designed, and transferred him out with a biting fitness report," she chuckled. "After that, and after you made it clear you did not care where -- or if -- team members went to college as long as they came up with good ideas that moved the project forward, things really came together."

"It wouldn't have, if Patch hadn't proved up the propulsion system before we got her out of the test basin. That saved us six months of development time. And I thought Admiral Fulton was going to dance a jig when he bet that Air Force general at the Edwards radar test range on how big a radar cross-section she'd have. The zoomie had his money on something the size of a lobster boat, and she turned out to have the cross-section of a 16 foot aluminum skiff!"

"I don't think I've ever been as proud as I was the day I sponsored her. When I said, 'I christen thee USS Cutlass' and broke the champagne over her bow, the valves were opened to finish flooding the drydock and float her off the blocks, and they opened the dock gate and you took her out under her own power for the first time, I cried. Even if it was just a half mile jaunt to the fitting out basin, she looked beautiful underway."

"You're sure you remember your role?" Wally asked as she pulled on her white leather gloves and pinned a large white hat that would have looked at home in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot to her hair at a jaunty angle.

"What's to forget, Master? I stand there looking adoringly at you while the National Anthem is played; the Base Chaplain delivers the invocation; you accept the plaque from the USS Cutlass Submarine Veterans Association acknowledging the continuity of the name; Admiral Fulton makes a speech about the Cutlass being the latest and greatest, commanded by the most experienced littoral combat officer in the fleet and reads the order placing her in commission; the Colors and the commission pennant are broken for the first time; and then I step to the mike, look at the crew -- and thank goodness the Navy has reverted to crackerjacks for E-6 and below instead of that ridiculous Navy Service Uniform of khaki shirts, blue pants, and blue garrison caps that made them look like Marines in Service Dress C the bean-counters forced on them for a couple of years; there is something to be said for tradition -- and issue the order, 'Man our ship and bring her to life!' and watch as the crew double-times aboard, lets go the lines, and you take her out for an overnight shakedown. Did I forget anything, my darling?"

"Not a thing. Let's go meet the parents and get this show on the road."

Wally's father and the Corcorans were waiting in the in the living room when they walked in. Amanda had taken the liberty of setting up the coffee service and laying out cups. After an exchange of "Good mornings" and allowing them to get that all-important first cup of coffee down, Bruce Michaels turned the conversation to more serious things.

"I've found a house for you in Virginia Beach. It's not far from the base, and it's a sight better than any of those junior officer duplexes the Navy would assign you. The opening bid is $85,000. It's not quite as big as this place, but it's in a good neighborhood and appears to be in good shape. The auction is tomorrow, and I can loan you the money to buy it outright against your stock holdings. Trisha and I can go have a look at it while you're shaking the Cutlass down, if you'd like." Trisha looked at Wally for a decision.

"I'd like," Wally said. "And we have an edge the house flippers don't have. Boots obtained an old fiber-optic camera rig that was just retired from some friends of his at Quantico. The lens is much larger than the current generation and the resolution isn't as good, but it's good enough to slip under a door or in a slightly open window and look at the interior. That might help you set the top bid. Boots taught Trisha how to use it."

"After you have a new place, we can talk about getting this one rented, son. Extra money coming in never hurts." Everyone nodded agreement.

Amanda asked, "When we drove in last night, I was surprised you weren't home, Wally. You must have gotten back very late."

"I did," Wally admitted. "After we rehearsed the commissioning ceremony, Patch Flores and I spent the evening conferring with the yard superintendent and the project managers for the Rapier, the Sabre and the Scimitar. They've taken the lessons we learned building Cutlass to heart. The Rapier is on schedule, and the others are ahead of schedule.

"As a matter of fact, the yard just bought the old USS Alamo back from the Brazilian Navy for the construction program. It pays to have friends who tell you things now and then; my friends in the Marinha do Brasil thought I might be interested in the fate of our old tender. I put the yard onto her after I learned they were looking to expand. The Brazilians are decommissioning her as being too worn out for further ocean service, but her well deck is big enough to let the shipyard build two Cutlasses side by side and under cover. Much cheaper and faster to buy an old LSD than to build new drydocks, and they will get a lot of office and storage space as a bonus. A good deal all around, and it will speed up the Sword program."

Admiral Corcoran cleared his throat. "Ha-hmm. Amanda and I brought you a present, Wally." He proffered a bakery cake box to him. Wally smiled and took it, noting that it was far too light to be pastry or cookies. He opened it and his eyes widened. It contained an officer's cap with the single row of oak leaves on the brim that is worn by Navy commanders and captains. It was nowhere near new; Admiral Corcoran had obviously worn it before he'd become a flag officer.

"You know I'm stuck behind a desk at the Pentagon instead of out on the flight line where I ought to be. There are times when I wonder if getting another star is worth it, since I spend my days dealing with career rear echelon motherfuckers, politicians, and lobbyists. But it does give me the chance to do a little politicking.

"The Cutlass is going to be based at Little Creek as part of the rear echelon of Patrol Craft Squadron One, to train Riverine Squadron 1 in your mothership - piranha tactics. As the new ships of her class are commissioned, they will join you there. By next year, when we have enough of them, they will be formed into a division. That division will be the nucleus of Patrol Craft Squadron Two.

"Divisions are commanded by commanders -- "

"Which brings us to this," said Amanda, handing him a box the size of a pen and pencil set. Wally opened it to find a pair of three-stripe shoulder boards, the bullion in the stripes mellowed by age and salt air to the color of old gold.

"John's Annapolis roommate is currently head of the Bureau of Personnel. He showed him the commander's list for next year, by which time the Navy expects to have four Patrol Craft Littorals in commission, and four more on the ways. Provided you don't step on your crank between now and then, your name will be on that list and you'll get command of the first PCL division."

"But don't expect to have it for long," interrupted the Admiral. "After you have been promoted, I've arranged to send you to the Naval War College at Newport on the long course. When you finish that, you'll be qualified for any surface ship or shore command in the Navy -- though knowing you, I expect you'll want to get back on the water. By then, presuming those nitwits on the Hill don't cut our budget, the first twelve PCLs will be in commission and the second flight of Cutlasses will be building. The Brown Water Navy is going to need squadron commanders, and you're the most experienced brown water officer we have."

"My darling, the Navy expects a lot more service out of you and your Gator Navy. No one I know is better qualified to perform it than you are. I am so proud of you!" Trisha kissed him, an open-mouthed kiss that startled everyone in the room except Amanda, whose eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter.

The Admiral harrumphed. "Charge your glasses -- well, your coffee cups, anyway." When all had coffee in their cups, he raised his and said, "Here's to the USS Cutlass, her proud crew, and her intrepid captain. May their service do the Navy proud!"