Though she was an old ship, Coral Sea knew that the feeling in her veins was not normal. For days she'd felt a burning sensation near her engineering spaces. Sometimes it was so intense that she'd be reduced to a whimpering mess. Despite her captain's instance that she return to port, Coral Sea was determined to keep going.
Her gaze moved from that of her task force to the flyer that was inbound for her flight deck.
"They're here." She murmured.
Maybe Rabb and McKensie could figure out what was wrong with her...
...
"One minute she's fine and the next, all the power goes out and she's screaming like a banshee, thrashing about like a whale on a harpoon line." the XO said as he walked Rabb through the main passageway, stepping over bulkheads as they went.
"Anything like this ever happen before, sir?" Rabb asked.
"No. She's had her fair share of aches and pains, they all do when they hit their double digits, but nothing like this." the XO replied.
"Walk me through what exactly happened that night sir." Rabb said.
The XO was about to reply when a third voice interrupted them.
"We had just launched our third Tomcat into the air. Three more were lined on the deck awaiting their turn. I'd just watched them clear when I felt this, burning." Coral Sea paused.
"Go on." Rabb prompted gently while the XO stroked the nearest bulkhead to soothe her.
Coral Sea swallowed hard. "It was like I'd been set on fire. But this fire was in the veins, engineering... it's always engineering." She sighed.
"So this isn't the first time it's happened?" Rabb asked.
"No sir." She replied. "But it's certainly the worst. They started not long after I was recommissioned and they keep getting worse and worse. Whatever it is, it's spreading. I-I'm afraid that the next one might kill me, sir." She finished.
"I won't let that happen. You have my word on that." Rabb whispered.
"I trust you sir." Coral Sea replied. "From one aviator to another."
...
The fire that Coral Sea had described turned out to be acid that was corroding her pipes, her veins. No one, not even the captain, could explain how it happened.
"No ship has the ability to produce acid in that concentrations, especially not when it flows around her bloodstream." the XO said.
"Then how did it get in?" Rabb asked.
"Sabotage?" McKensie asked. "We all know that men can be antsy under conditions like these. And Newman was in the engineering spaces a few hours before the accident."
"Give the word boss and and we'll be one man lighter." Coral Sea growled.
"No. We don't know for certain if Newman was behind this or not." The XO replied. "Nonetheless, I agree with the JAG. We may have a saboteur on board. You will help them with their investigation. No crazy tricks."
"Yes sir." She replied, disgruntled.
...
True to her word, Coral Sea helped Rabb whenever possible. The more Rabb investigated, the more he became convinced that Newman was his man.
Eventually Mckensie put her foot down. "I think you're chasing the wrong bogie flyboy. If anyone's behind this, it's Yarbro." She said.
"Yarbro's a geek, Mac." Rabb replied.
"Yeah a disgruntled former navy geek who likes to prove he's smarter than everyone else." Mac retorted.
"He creates problems and then fixes them. Kind of like a fireman who-who torches a building just so he can put it out." Coral Sea added.
"Dinner for a week says it's Newman." Rabb said to both of them.
"Buying or making?" Mac asked as Coral Sea focused on the pair with interest.
"Buying." Rabb replied.
"Then you're on." Mac said and they shook on it. A wired cable came down from the ceiling overhead.
"Oh no, just Mac. I'm not paying your fuel bill." Rabb growled.
"I can eat human food." Coral Sea grumped. "Steak is my favorite."
Rolling his eyes, Rabb shook on it.
"Nothing personal but um, that last meatloaf you made was nasty." Mac said, standing up.
"You're dogging Harm's special meatless meatloaf?" Rabb asked, insulted.
Coral Sea faked a gagging noise and he shot her a glare. She giggled, completely non-remorseful.
"Let's put it this way. If you were to make the 'Harmon Special' on this ship, they'd have to unload it with the toxic waste." Mac replied.
Coral Sea stifled a snicker. "That stuff is so nasty, I doubt even Watertown would eat it." She said.
"OI!" cried the submarine. The carrier laughed.
Rabb was stunned. "Wow, that's a little harsh don't you think? You didn't like it you could just say 'I don't like your meatloaf Harm'. You don't have be insulting." He said, wadding up his napkin and throwing it at her.
She turned and looked at him, smiling good naturedly. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh.
...
A few minutes later the whole place shuddered as Coral Sea suffered another attack. Rabb was on his feet in an instant, racing up the flights of stairs for the main deck. He clung to her island as she rolled on her side. The Tomcats on deck were fortunate to be lashed down or they would've rolled off into the sea. Watertown was there to support her carrier. The submarine was doing her best to minimize the worse of her thrashing.
"It hurts! It hurts!" Coral Sea wailed.
"I know. I know but I've got you. It's gonna be okay, kiddo. It's gonna be okay." Watertown answered. Her voice remained calm though the worry shown clear in her eyes. Rabb considered them fortunate that Watertown was a submarine. They were experts at hiding their emotions. The last thing Coral Sea needed right now was for anyone else to panic.
The carrier was out of control, thrashing about like an injured fish in a net, her eyes darting about, wide and scared, like a cornered animal.
"It's engineering again. We've got fire alarms going off in the amo locker and the wardroom galley. A flood alarm going off in enlisted berthing. I'm trying to shut them down but the power distribution keeps shutting down the generators." the XO reported.
"Shut down all non essential systems." The captain ordered. "We've got to get those Tomcats aboard."
"Coral Sea you have to right yourself." Rabb ordered. "You've got planes inbound."
The carrier didn't seem to hear him. If she did, she didn't or couldn't respond. She was thrashing so much that the second was most likely. If she spoke she'd most likely bite her tongue.
Watertown spoke up now. "Fight it kiddo. Your planes need you." She growled.
The big carrier whimpered. She stopped thrashing but her hull still shook from the pain. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused.
"Get up, you have to get up now!" Rabb ordered.
Coral Sea tried, falling back with a shriek. "I can't!" She wailed.
They were interrupted by a splash. "Man overboard!" Coral Sea cried, leaping up in a flash.
Watertown instantly moved away. If the man was alive, he wouldn't be crushed between their hulls at least. The submarine spotted a body. "I see him." She picked him up gently with her port fin, checking for a pulse. She shook her head. "Broken back, he's dead." She reported.
"He must've fallen from the top of your island." Rabb realized. "Looks like you'll be buying dinner after all." Realizing that Newman must be the man behind it, he went belowdecks.
"Me? Who said anything about me buying!" She cried indignantly. Another wave of pain overcame her and she moaned.
Watertown pressed against her before she could roll again. "Easy." The submarine murmured. "Focus on me. Focus on my voice."
At her encouraging, the carriers' eyes became less glassy as they turned to her. "Watertown..." Coral Sea whispered as though she'd only just realized the submarine was there.
"I'm here kiddo." Watertown replied. "I'm here." She nuzzled the carrier and Coral Sea returned the gesture. Already she was feeling much better. Then she gasped.
"What, what is it?" Watertown asked, worried.
"Fire in HazMat." Coral Sea gasped. "For real this time."
Watertown at once tried to thing of something she could do to help. If fire set off those chemicals... Coral Sea nudged her, shaking her from her thoughts.
"No chance." She said. "I won't have you risking yourself for me."
"But that's my job." Watertown replied. "I will defend you at the cost of my life."
"Not this time Watertown." Coral Sea answered. "Not this time..."
...
In the end the fire was put out, Newman captured and contained. Coral Sea wanted to just throw him overboard and be done with it but it was unbecoming of a naval officer so she accepted the brig sentence. She still made sure Newman's remaining stay aboard was a miserable as possible though. Miserable to the point that he requested repeatedly to be transferred to the submarine.
Watertown found this amusing. "As if he thinks he'll have an easier time over here." She said.
"You'd be harder on him than I am." Coral Sea chuckled.
Watertown smiled. "Perhaps." She allowed. "What are you going to do now?" She asked.
Coral Sea sighed. The incident hadn't entirely been resolved without some changes. The acid in her systems would cause her problems for years to come. She'd likely experience the same events that plagued her on this voyage though in less frequency. But they'd increase in severity, until the acid reached her heart and killed her. Estimates gave her another 5 years before that time though, 10 if she was lucky.
"I don't know." She admitted. "Inform Naval Command of my situation. I'll likely be decommissioned for this but it's no better fate than what awaits me if I stay in."
"We could hide it." Watertown suggested. "You have several years before your condition would be a serious issue. Given your age you'd likely be decommissioned by then anyways."
Coral Sea sighed. "Are you so eager to get back at Webb's interference in your case or do you just not want to see me go?" She asked.
"What do you think." The submarine shrugged.
Coral Sea nudged her friend. "I think you worry too much for your own good. If we're made, we'll both be in a lot of trouble." She said.
"I know." Watertown replied.
"And yet you'll help me anyways?" Coral Sea asked.
"You are my friend, ma'am." Watertown replied. "A great friend and a great commander. The navy would be blind to decommission you."
"Well then, we have a patrol to finish." Coral Sea said. "Back to your station, soldier."
Fighting back a smile, Watertown saluted. "Aye, ma'am."
...
WATERTOWN'S VOICEOVER
1 year after this incident, USS Coral Sea was decommissioned and euthanized humanely on 8 October 2000. It was a kinder fate than that which awaited her. Rogue agents and ships cannibalized her for parts before finally scrapping her. I know my old friend would be rolling in her grave at the disrespect she was shown but Coral Sea was always a patient ship. More patient that she should've been if you ask me. But revenge isn't something she would want. She'd want me to carry on her final order to me: "Be patient, be kind to all those around you, both vehicle and human, even if they are not kind or patient in return. Show compassion when others are not compassionate. Be loving when others show hatred. Be the leader I've always known you to be, Watertown. This is my final order to you." It was an hour after that the needle was put in and she-within a minute... It was quick at least.
She was the first carrier the anesthetic was used upon. The first to die in a humane, uncruel way. Now that legacy is being carried on as Enterprise was euthanize following the removal of her reactor. But she died at her birthplace, the one place she always felt safe and secure. We'll all mourn for her. I know Missouri in particular is distraught. But her legacy, and that of Coral Sea will live on.
As long as we remember them, they are always with us.