To Sail a Darkling Sea

was sufficiently stored, armed and safe to hold out until the Plague had run its course. There are one or two other small groups in other oceans but they are even smaller than what you’ve seen.”

“We just finished a long conversation with the admittedly fatigued commodore,” Galloway said. “Our conclusion was to give the commodore a US Navy Captaincy.”

“Sorry, sir,” Gunny Sands said. “A Captaincy, sir?”

“Yes, Gunnery Sergeant,” Galloway said. “That would, we are aware, put him in command of not only yourselves but all of the Navy commanders at sea. Mister Smith, pardon, Captain Smith, is fully aware that this is an ambiguous situation. The explanation for this decision is long. Would you like it?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Pellerin said. “I would, sir.”

“Are you familiar with Wendell Fertig, Lieutenant?” Galloway asked.

“Oh,” Gunny Sands said, nodding. “That makes sense, now, sir.”

“No, sir,” Pellerin said, frowning. “Was he a Marine?”

“Fertig was, prior to World War Two, a civilian civil engineer in the Philippines,” Galloway said. “He was direct commissioned an Army captain shortly before the war broke out. He was rapidly promoted to major, definitely, and according to some reports to lieutenant colonel although the Army never confirmed that.

“After the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese, he began organizing guerillas. Recognizing that they would never follow a major or possibly lieutenant colonel, he styled himself a brigadier general. And it worked. By the time MacArthur landed, there were thirty thousand Filipinos under arms and MacArthur was greeted by a marching band.

“It was a matter of social values systems as well as competence. Various persons in history have styled themselves Generalissimo something or another. Fertig was, in fact, competent to organize and develop a guerilla movement. But he also needed the cachet of being a general, not a major. The entire thing was, as ‘Wolf Squadron’ is, a cult of personality. A barbarian band more than a military force. It is about getting lots of people to do stuff, quoting Wolf, ‘for no other reason than that I ask.’

“You are currently the senior Navy officer who is not essentially trapped. But no one knows who ‘Lieutenant Pellerin’ is. Everyone knows of Commodore Wolf. He did not style himself that way, by the way, the moniker was given to him by his captains. Which is sort of the point. With an actual captaincy, he has both his cult of personality and controlling legal authority. And he is the man with the plan who, thus far, has been succeeding. Thus the ‘competence’ part. I will not say that there are not questions and a degree of angst. Captain Smith, himself, expressed some negativity about the captaincy. Among other things, he expressed that he intends to continue to consider himself essentially acting in independent command. His exact words were ‘Okay, but don’t joggle my elbow.’ ”

“This is an old fashioned approach,” Huskey said. “Lieutenant, we are brought up in a professional environment of low-key officership. It’s about standing out just enough. Stand out too much, make too many waves, and you’re never going to make captain much less admiral. Just do your job professionally and stand out that way. But… Things change. There’s been this thing called the Plague that has wiped out most of humanity. People need someone who does stand out. Someone to follow. A legend, if you will. Smith has created that.”

“Half militia, half regular forces,” Sands said. “Mixing that will be… difficult, sir.”

“Regular officers will retain much of the actual control,” Galloway said. “We’re not going to give him the keys to a boomer and he sure as heck cannot order a nuclear strike. Be that as it may, the decision has been made. Steven John Smith is now a Captain in the United States Navy and outranks everyone else he may run across for the time being. You are, Lieutenant, Gunnery Sergeant, shortly to be under his command. There remains only one small detail to complete.”

“Which is, sir?” Pellerin asked.

“It is required by law that a commissioned officer swear in a commissioned officer,” Huskey said, drily. “And since none of us can so much as shake his hand… ”

* * *

General Orders, Wolf Squadron…

Steven John Smith directly commissioned Ensign, USN.

Steven John Smith promoted Captain, USNR.

Captain Steven John Smith, USNR, appointed Commander, Atlantic Fleet.

CHAPTER 4

When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,

He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.

But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Rudyard Kipling, “The Female of the Species”

“Oooo,” Sophia said, setting down the mike on the flying bridge. “Da’s going to have the big head.”

They were floating under a moonlit tropical sky. It was nearly impossible to spot vessels at night so they went to low power to conserve energy rather than continuing their search grid and just kept an eye on the radar. With the lights of the boat turned down, there was so little light pollution in the middle of the Atlantic you could see every satellite hurtling by. Sophia wondered how long they’d stay up. The GPS satellites were particularly important.

“You really think so?” Paula said.

“Actually, no,” Sophia said. “But I’ll have to twit him about it.”

“No Tan Lines, Alexandria, over.”

“Who?” Paula said.

“Dunno,” Sophia said. “Alexandria, Lines, over.”

“Switch to channel twenty-two for retrans, over.”

“Sub,” Sophia said. “Roger. Up on twenty-two.”

“Sophia, Da, over.”

“Da,” Sophia said, grinning. “Got the big head have we? Commander Atlantic Fleet?”

“Maybe once I find a uniform that fits. Not a personal call.”

“Roger, Captain,” Sophia said.

“I just got off the horn with Kuzma. He’s going to be a Navy lieutenant as soon as we get an officer there to swear him in. I shot for Lieutenant JG for you but was overruled. They’re willing to go Acting Ensign Third Class but not Ensign or JG at the moment.”

“Wait, you want me to join the Navy?” Sophia said.

“You’re already in the Navy in case you hadn’t noticed,” Steve replied. “I want you to be an officer in the Navy.”

“Does that mean we have to join the Navy?” Paula asked.

“What about my crew?” Sophia asked.

“Crews, except for certain positions, can be civilian. Basic structure of the Wolf Squadron remains the same. Certain officers, both skippers and administrative, have been asked to become Naval personnel. It’s a bit of a mish-mash for right now. But certain equipment has to be under control of Naval personnel, including Marines. Basically, you can only legally use big guns from Navy or Coast Guard ships if you’re under Federal controlling legal authority. It’s a technicality of a regulation they’re not willing to overlook and I understand why and agree. Goes back to the Treaty of Westphalia. That’s not the only reason I’d like you to be an officer, but it’s one of them. Other than that, there’s no real difference. You don’t have to respond now. Contact Kuzma one way or the other. Any major questions?”

“Not right now,” Sophia said. “I can think on it?”