Chapter 2
NUMA Sea Base, San Diego CA. – April 1, 2014
Dirk Pitt Sr. missed being at sea. Ever since taking over the position as NUMA's director he was spending most of his time behind a desk in downtown Washington D.C. office building, instead of being out in the field as the agency's director of special projects. That position was now filled by his son, Dirk Pitt Jr., with help from his daughter Summer Pitt. The Senior Pitt still did get out in the field every chance he got, but mostly on inspection duty rather than actual dirty work. When NUMA's first 'new from the keel up' ship was ready for launching, Dirk jumped at the chance to be on board to help out with her sea trials. They wouldn't be doing any official work, so it was the perfect chance for NUMA's veterans to smell the salt air again.
Most of NUMA's ships had been hand me downs from the Navy or Coast Guard. They had been totally refitted for their new task of marine science, but there were still compromises. The Cousteau had been designed for NUMA, by NUMA on a clean sheet of paper. She had, of course, been named for the famous late French ocean explorer and marine researcher. Vice President Sandecker, NUMA's former director had helped push for the funding to build the new ship. The V.P. would have liked to be present for the ship's departure, but a last minute crisis in Washington was keeping him away.
Al Giordino and Joe Zavala had been aboard the Cousteau for several weeks now. Al had been instrumental in the design of the ship, working for months at the drafting table. The design work had kept him stuck indoors for far too long, when he'd rather have been trying out his inventions out at sea. With the Cousteau now almost ready for launching he was looking forward to enjoying the fruits of his design labor. At the moment, Joe Zavala was assisting Al in going though a long punch list of items that had to be taken care of before the ship would leave for her trial run. Dirk wasn't sure who was the more talented marine engineer Joe or Al, but he was sure that the two of them working together would insure that the Cousteau's maiden voyage would be a successful one.
Kurt Austin had been planning on taking some vacation time in Hawaii to do some surfing. Seeing that the Cousteau's planned route included a stopover at Perl Harbor he decided to postpone the start of his vacation and be part of the shakeout crew. While Joe Zavala wasn't much in to surfing, he had hinted that he'd like to do some fishing, and had also planed on taking some R&R once they reached Perl.
Pitt parked his vintage Dusenberg J Phaeton in the covered parking garage next to the NUMA slip, and walked toward the dock. The smell of the salt air and the cries of the gulls flying overhead were enough to put him in a relaxed mood. He picked up his pace and hurried along till he reached the gangplank leading up to the Cousteau's main deck. Once on board he looked out into the harbor. Anchored just out of the sea lanes was an old rusty tramp steamer. Pitt laughed to himself, he knew all about that old rust bucket out there. The Oregon might have looked like a ship ready for the scrapyard, but it was actually a high tech vessel armed to the teeth and loaded for bear, that could outrun anything afloat. Her rust covered exterior was a clever disguise, under that artfully done paint job the ship was as solidly built as the navy's best war ships. The Oregon was run by a private army of mercenaries known as 'The Corporation', headed by an old friend named Juan Cabrillo. Pitt directed his gaze toward the ship's bridge and saluted, he was glad that Cabrillo would be on hand for the Cousteau's send off.
Captain Decker and Al Giordino were already on the bridge when Pitt entered. "How's she doing?" Pitt asked.
"Everything looks shipshape" the captain answered. "However, Mr. Giordino has this nasty habit of countermanding my orders."
"That's because your knowledge of this ship's system's seems to be a bit lacking" Al said. "I can't stand to see the last year and a half of my work be damaged by a green captain."
"GREEN!" Decker fumed turning toward Dirk. "He damn well knows I'm one of NUMA's most experienced sea captains!"
Dirk got between the two men, and put a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Will you two stop fighting and work together?" Pitt laughed. "Look Captain Decker, both Al and myself have the greatest respect for your seamanship. It's just that this ship is like a child to Al, it's his masterpiece of marine design. Just humor him a bit, please. I'm sure you've read all of the technical manuals on this vessel?"
"Of course I have!" Decker insisted, taking a deep breath. "Very well, I see your point. Just remind your friend that this ship has only one captain. I'll put up with his micromanagement only as long as we are in coastal waters. Once we get to sea, this is MY ship!"
"Well, Al?" Pitt asked.
"Hatchet buried." Al conceded.
Pitt walked out of the bridge and headed below deck to check out the laboratories. There he met the Trouts who were busy inventorying the equipment. Paul Trout was still getting used to the fact that the ceiling height in the Cousteau's corridors were just a bit greater than the rest of the ships in NUMA's fleet. At nearly seven feet tall, Paul had gotten used to ducking his head at critical junctions walking though the passageways of the lower decks on ship. Al Giordino must have kept Paul Trout in mind when he laid out the specifications for the Cousteau, there wasn't any area on the ship with less than 6' 10" of headroom.
"How's the inspection coming along?" the head of NUMA asked.
"Nothing seems to be missing so far," Gamay replied. Paul nodded, "We're just starting to power things up and test the equipment. I can't do a proper test of the sonar in port, too much noise from local ship traffic. However the all of the basic diagnostic tests indicate no issues."
"Very good." Pitt said. "Carry on."
Dirk entered the ship's control room. Here, all of the scientific and communications equipment not associated with the direct navigational controls were located. This was the ship's mission HQ, and computer center. A direct two way video console with the bridge was available to keep the captain in the link where required. There he found Hiram Yeager, NUMA's computer expert and Rudi Gunn, NUMA's second in command, waiting for him.
"Welcome aboard, Dirk!" Rudi said.
"I didn't expect to see you two coming along for the Cousteau's maiden voyage," Dirk said.
"We're not," Rudi replied. "I'm needed back in D.C. to run things while you're enjoying yourself out on the open seas. I'm here in Sandecker's place, he's expecting me to report back on how well the final inspection goes."
Yeager turned 180 degrees on his swivel chair and smiled at Dirk.
"I still have some more work to do here before I give my approval that the ship's computers and other electronics are ready," the computer genius said, "I haven't completed running all of the diagnostics yet. The GPS and navigational equipment checks out, but I still have to align the gyroscopic stabilizers. Then the Satellite communication gear also needs to be verified. Sandecker gave me the authorization to tie into the military communication links, and I want to verify that they are on line as well."
"Sound's like you've been busy." Pitt laughed.
"Na, Einstein's been doing all the dirty work." Yeager laughed.
"Einstein?" Pitt questioned.
"My latest computer daemon." Yeager replied, typing a few commands on the keyboard. A graphic appeared on the large screen computer monitor in the image of a long haired scientist who spoke in a thick German accent, sounding somewhat like Disney's Ludwig Van Drake character.
"What can I do for you, gentleman?" he asked.
"Just introducing you to the boss." Yeager explained.
"Hello, Mr. Pitt." Albert replied. "If you have any problems requiring my assistance do not hesitate to ask."
"Thank you, and glad to meet you." Pitt answered.
"Albert, would you please schedule the rest of the systems diagnostics to run." Yeager asked.
"At once." The daemon replied as the image of the scientist faded away.
Pitt turned to the door. "I need to finish my inspections and find my cabin." he explained.
"Let me show you around," Rudi replied. "I don't want to get in Yeager's way. The sooner he is happy, the sooner you can get out of port. By the way, how goes your inspection so far?"
"I'm just concerned about how Al Giordino and Captain Decker are getting along." Pitt sighed. "There is a small battle of egos up on the bridge at the moment."
"Don't worry, the two of them are too professional to let their personalities clash for very long." Rudi laughed. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if what you ran into on the bridge was staged for your benefit."
"I hadn't thought of that." Pitt laughed. "It's just the kind of thing that Al would have done."
Their next stop was at the ship's mess hall. The ship's Chef had just finished stowing the last of his gear and was in the process of filling a coffee urn with water.
"I see I'm a bit early for the Java." Pitt moaned.
"Come back in about twenty minutes and I'll have it ready for you." Chef Morrison told him. "though I get you some tea right away if you'd like."
"Yes, thank you." Pitt answered "I'd like that."
"Make it two." Rudi added.
Morrison siphoned off some hot water from the holding tank and put some into two china mugs. He then dropped a teabag into each of them.
"Here you go" he said, handing one cup each to Rudi and Pitt.
Pitt added some sugar and stirred the liquid, then brought the cup to his lips and sipped.
"Just what I needed!" he smiled. Rudi silently drained his cup.
"Hi dad!" Pitt turned around to see Dirk Jr. and his sister Summer standing behind him.
"When did you two get on board?" Dirk Sr. asked.
"We've been on board for a few hours now." Summer replied. Dirk and I have been down below by the moon pool checking out the scuba gear, and the drone subs. Everything we've ordered is on board and in good shape."
"Well it seems that most of the NUMA crew is satisfied with the ship's provisioning." Pitt Sr. said. "I hope we can get underway soon. Murphy's law dictates that it won't be long before Sandecker finds something important for us to investigate, and then the Cousteau will have to start earning her keep.
With Rudi's help Dirk found his assigned state room. He pushed the door to his cabin open to find his duffel bag had already been brought into his room and was lying on his bunk. Pitt unzipped the bag and began to unpack. His years in the Air Force had taught him how to cram a duffel bag full of clothing neatly, but for this trip his wife Loren lent a woman's touch to his luggage. The Congresswoman was busy in D.C. and had wished Pitt good byes and a safe trip via phone.
Pitt carefully filled the drawers of the cabin's dresser with his neatly folded shirts and trousers. He had decided to go business casual on this trip, though he did bring one formal suit, just in case the occasion required it. He knew that the ship had a top notch laundry facility on board, so he wasn't too worried about under packing. As he opened his closet, he noticed that someone, probably Al, had provided him with several sets of official NUMA uniforms in his size, pressed and hanging in the closet. Pitt examined one of the uniform shirts, and smiled when he noticed the Cousteau's emblem embroidered on the lapels. This detail was probably Rudi's idea.
Several hours later Hiram Yeager and Rudi Gunn headed off the ship. Yeager had finished his final inspections and had declared that the ship's systems were ready for their departure. Pitt was on deck as they departed. "You guys are missing all the fun," he said.
"Somebody has to man the office while you're gone, Dirk," Rudi replied. "At least I was able to get away to send you guys off."
"And you might need me in the main computer center to solve a problem for you," Hiram pointed out.
"I hope not," Pitt replied, "For once I'd like a shakedown cruise of a new ship go perfectly."
Pitt watched as NUMA's second in command and the head computer engineer drove away in an aquamarine colored SUV with NUMA's logo on the doors, before heading back to his cabin.
Glancing at his watch, Dirk noticed that it was nearly dinner time. The Cousteau, like most military ships ran on a rigid schedule. With her small science crew meal time would involve only a single seating, though the kitchen area remained open 24/7 to fit the workaholic lifestyle of the geeks on board. As he made his way to the mess hall, Pitt could feel the vibration of the ships main engines under his feet. He glanced out a port hole and saw the dock slowly drifting away. The Cousteau was finally under way, starting her maiden voyage.