Mistakes
Chapter 6
Mike woke up to the unmistakable sound of metal crunching and explosions. He quickly dressed, and stepped out to find crew-members running. Alarms were blaring and Mike immediately knew what had happened. Still, he asked. "What happened?" Mike asked one of the junior officers.
"Damn torpedo, Sir. Captain Gray took us off em-comm." The officer explained.
"Where'd it hit?" Mike asked.
"The hull. Its bad, Sir. Captain won't give the order." The officer answered.
"Get to the deck. Help any injured. I'm going to the bridge." Mike told him as they split directions. As soon as he got to the bridge, he heard Captain Gray shouting at Russ Jeter.
"Sir; you have to give the order to abandon ship. The hull is ripped apart and as long as we are on it, we are sitting ducks." Russ said.
"I am not Kara Green. She let the James sink." Captain Gray said. Mike looked toward the 1MC, which he had a clear path to. He exchanged a look with Russ, before calmly walking to it, picking it up; and began talking.
"All crew; this is Admiral Slattery speaking. All crew; abandon ship without delay. Destroy any pivotal information. Abandon ship. That is all." Mike said before hanging up the 1MC. He knew it wasn't the best worded order, but there was not time.
"Sir, that was not that your call!" Captain Gray said.
"It was because I am taking command of this vessel. Once we find safety, you will be charged. Why were we off Em-Comm?" Mike asked.
"I don't have to answer that." Captain Gray said.
"He wanted to call his wife, Sir." The XO answered.
"That's what I figured. At the moment; I don't have time to deal with this, but I will be. I gave the order to abandon ship and that applied to you too." Mike said. Russ was helping the bridge crew disable computers and Mike watched the cameras as crew abandoned ship; making sure the injured were off ship. "Do we have an injured count? Or KIA?" Mike asked.
"All accounted for. Some seriously injured, but they are being loaded on the RHIBS now." Russ answered. Mike nodded.
"I'm going to the deck to help with the injured. Do not delay." Mike ordered.
"Almost done." Russ answered as he took a mallet to a computer screen. Captain Gray had disappeared, but Mike didn't care about that at the moment. Once on the deck, he bent down to help put pressure on a gaping wound. Just then he heard helicopters approaching. He focused on them and immediately realized they were Russian. Flashbacks of Mayport came flooding back.
"Take cover! Take cover now!" Mike said. He drug the wounded enlisted man to cover, and then drug three more as shells began raining down. He was helping another crew member when he felt the stinging and burning take over. Then everything faded to black. His last thought was that he couldn't help anyone else if he was unconscious.
I'm not a military expert so take it with a grain of salt, and I also wasn't think we'd end up with current circumstances with Russia when I began writing this!
