Disclaimer: The Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea characters are not mine, just borrowed for this story.
Reviews are always welcome.
Best Laid Plans
All was quiet as dawn kissed the tops of the mighty blue mountains. His sword sparkled with the early rays of light. Everything had been leading up to this moment when the fate of the universe would be decided in several powerful blows.
"Ryan."
The prophecy for the fate of the land was about to come true and all the mighty armies of the realm could do was stand and . . .
"Ryan, are you even listening to me?"
An exacerbated sigh escaped Ryan's lips as she glared over the top of her novel. "It's after five o'clock Lee. I'm trying really hard not to hear you."
Putting on his best wounded look the captain continued, "That hurts me deeply. After all our years of working together and you can't take two seconds out of your novel, while you're at work I might add, and help out a dear old friend." Lee pointed at himself and perched on the corner of Ryan's desk.
A sly smile appeared on the brunette's lips as she lowered her book. "As I said, it's after five o'clock, which means the work day is over. I have to catch up on my reading because even though I am tremendously good at faking it," Ryan put up her finger to pause Crane's comments, and in the same even tone continued, "keep all comments and jokes to yourself, I cannot keep faking my way though my book club if I never read the books. So unless your name is Harriman Nelson I don't have to acknowledge your existence after five unless specifically directed to by the Admiral."
Out of all the personal assistants the Admiral had employed at NIMR over the years, Crane liked Ryan the best. She could be an absolute professional when required, but could also engage in playful banter with Chip and Lee. She had just enough attitude to keep the Admiral on his toes and the intelligence to know when to put the Admiral in his place. Most importantly, she was willing to play ball with the skipper. The negotiations were often rough, but in the end, Lee would offer something Ryan wanted, and in exchange Lee would gain access to the Admiral when everyone else was denied or have Ryan sway the Admiral to Lee's way of thinking; which is what the captain was banking on now.
"Besides Lee, you're not even supposed to be here. I thought Jamie told you you were off duty for the rest of the week. More specifically not to show up to the office."
"I'm not here to work. I've come to see you," offered Crane. Step one in his plan: sweet talk the girl a little.
"Ah-uh." Ryan picked up her bookmark and placed it in the novel. After placing the book on her desk she folded her hands over it and gave Crane her full attention. Step one in her plan: let the captain think he has you.
"Well I mean you are the glue that holds this place together. Without you I just don't know what I would do."
Lee offered one of his award winning smiles and Ryan leaned forward a little.
"What can I do for you captain?"
"I was hoping you had a bottle of the Admiral's favorite scotch tucked away somewhere."
"Let's say for a moment I do. What could you possibly need that for? You've been off duty for the last six days there's no way you could have screwed up anything in that time that would require a bottle of scotch to smooth things over," countered the personal assistant. Step 2 of her plan: get the Captain to spill his objective.
Here goes nothing thought Crane. "I need it to sway the Admiral. I want him to overrule Jamie's decision."
"And why would you want to do that?"
"Well Nelson is going to be performing the test flights on the new flying sub this weekend."
"I am aware of the Admiral's plans this weekend."
"And I want to be a part of it. Stuck on the sidelines for an injury that doesn't really exist just isn't my style. Besides I'm the one that uses FS1 the most and I would like to have as much input on FS2 as possible. I can offer insight on things we need to change or add based on past mission. Really my input could save lives down the line." Step two of his plan: gain her sympathy.
"Well if lives are at stake. But what do I get out of handing over a very expensive bottle of scotch?"
"I will take you out for a fancy dinner tonight," Crane could hardly keep the hope out of his voice that his plan would work.
Returning from a routine observation run the Seaview had run into some rough water. A slight miscalculation on Lee's part and the captain had lost his footing causing him to slam his knee into one of the bulkheads. The damage was minor, but Crane had ended up having to limp for the last few days and in Jamie's usual over-reaction, or so Crane thought, the good doctor had relieved Crane of duty for two weeks in order for him to relax and recover. Lee had tried to argue that since Seaview was docked for the next two weeks that he would be fine to come into the office and perform his usual duties, but Jamie was having none of it. The doctor even went so far as to threaten that security would have Crane removed if he stepped into the office at all during the two weeks.
"Sorry Lee I have plans tonight."
"Reschedule. I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
"Dancing!"
The suggestion caught Crane off guard. While he believed Jamie was overreacting with two weeks enforced rest, Crane had to admit that his knee did ache. How could he get through a night of dancing when he barely made it through the office door without limping?
"Dancing?"
"Take me dancing and I will reschedule my plans tonight Lee." Step three of her plan: see how fine the captain really is.
Step three of his plan: well this latest curve ball kind of put an end to the captain's plan. New step three of his plan: distract her from dancing. "How about two dinners and we do it when you don't have plans?"
"No deal," came the short reply as Ryan picked her book up and started to read again.
"CAPTAIN!" The shout was unmistakably Will Jamieson's.
Crane shot off the desk and stood at attention at the sudden intrusion. Ryan calmly put her book mark in place and put the novel into her bag, almost like she was expecting the doctor to show up.
"What did I tell you? Two weeks." Jamie held up two fingers for emphasis. "Count them, one, two."
"Jamie what are you doing here? I was . . . I was just . . ."
"Not listening to orders as usual. Do you think I place you on medical leave for my own health? I do it for yours. Now you should be at home resting. I am here to pick up Ryan, and you are going home."
"Pick up Ryan?" Lee turned with questioning eyes to the young women who was putting on her coat.
"Now you're off duty for three weeks and if you're not out of this office in five minutes you can consider yourself off duty until further notice!"
"You can't do that Jamie . . ."
"Frankly Captain, I don't give a damn. Did I make myself clear or not?"
Lee's shoulders slumped like a scolded child. Begrudgingly he answered, "Yes."
With a nod of understanding Jamie turned and headed to the elevator.
"You knew he was coming?" asked Lee
Ryan smiled and picked up her bag. "Every Tuesday night Will and I go to the theater on Newmart Street to watch old movies. This week is Casablanca."
"So you were stalling me until Jamie got here so he could bust me for going against medical orders?"
"That was the plan. Look Lee, you're still hobbling around just take the time to rest. The world will still need saving next week, you won't miss anything." With that, she reached down to the bottom drawer of the desk and pulled out a bottle of Bushmills Single Malt and handed it to the captain.
Lee looked at the bottle in his hand. "This isn't what the Admiral likes to drink."
Ryan laced her arm through the captain's and escorted him to the door. "No, it's what Jamie drinks and if you stay out of what's left of his hair for this week and most of next week you might be able to sweet talk him into putting you back on active duty for next weekend."
"Next weekend?"
"Next weekend when the second set of test flights for FS2 will occur. But you didn't hear it from me."
"The Admiral never said anything about..."
Crane was cut off, "Of course you didn't. Will already came up here and read the riot act to Nelson about certain officers never following his orders. So the admiral decided not to mention any upcoming plans so you would stay at home and rest. Good night captain." With that Ryan was off to her night at the movies.
Crane's plan for being involved with FS2 this week were a bust, but with the aid of a bottle of Irish whiskey, he now had a new plan for next week.
The end.