Chapter 5

Sick Bay, 1545 hours

A breathless Ryder arrived hours later than expected. "I have the Captain's leftovers, sir. I had to go through more than half the trash on Seaview before I found it." He looked ready to drop.

"Good work, Ryder."

"How is the Captain, sir?"

"See for yourself if you like. Kowalski could use a break anyway."

"Hey Ryder. Just keep seeing what he's seeing and he'll stay calm. He also seems to like to free associate words to songs."

"Why would anyone do this to him? I don't understand."

"To embarrass him? As a diversion? Your guess is as good as mine."

"I hope they catch whoever did it and keel haul them."

"Been a long time since anyone got keel hauled on a submarine," Kowalski laughed. "I'll be back in fifteen. Can I bring you anything? Something to eat?"

"A sandwich would be great, thanks." Ryder took Kowalski's chair. "It's me, Ryder, Captain."

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down a stream . . ."

"Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream," Ryder finished.

"To dream the impossible dream, to beat the unbeatable foe . . ."

Doc Jamison held one hand over his temple and rubbed. "Great, now I've got a duet." That duet continued on and off throughout the evening, as Kowalski took Ryder's calming influence on the Captain as an excuse to return to other duties.

At 2100 hours, Chip Morton was ready to be relieved. The problem was by whom. He briefly left the conn to check with Sick Bay.

"I can't say what it is, but whatever it is was in the omelet, the mushrooms I think. He's calmed tremendously over the last hour."

"Does he have any idea what's been happening?"

"No. Just said he'd never felt so happy in his whole life."

"Maybe you can find me some of those mushrooms."

"Tell me that after you see the next part."

"So, I'll be pulling double duty tonight."

"Possibly tomorrow as well."

"You're going to owe me, buddy boy," Chip said in Lee's general direction. He didn't seem to hear it.

"Will you be following up on the galley, Mr. Morton?"

"Either me or the Admiral, I suppose."

"I don't envy either of you."

"Cookie's not likely to react well, I know."

Sick Bay, 2230 hours

Kowalski checked on the Skipper. The Captain seemed to be asleep or nearly so. Ryder's hand was on the Captain's forearm. Ryder had nodded off.

Doc Jamison looked up from his desk to Kowalski and whispered. "Kid did a great job with him tonight."

"Looks it."

"I'll send him off to his quarters soon. I think he'll be quiet through the night."

"Will he be all right?"

"If the source of the hallucinations is what I believe it was, then he should be fine. No long-lasting after effects are likely, except a sore shoulder."

"Good. I wish I knew who did it. Skipper could really have hurt himself bad."

"Fortunately for him, he was in a comfortable place surrounded by good men like you two supporting him. That helped keep his experience a pleasant one."

"Doc, it might be a good idea to let Ryder stay in here for the night too."

"Why?"

"Some of the men have an issue with him."

"You think he's in danger?"

"I just think that with the Skipper down, it'd be safer for him here than elsewhere just now."

"Sure. No problem."

The Control Room, 2400 hours

"Get some shuteye, Chip. We can run a skeleton crew tonight; have Mr. O'Brien report in early," the Admiral ordered.

"I can handle it, sir."

"No. We're not sure what's going on with Captain Crane, so we need to be prepared to cope for more than a day."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll follow up with Cookie."

"Thank you, sir. Good luck, Admiral."

The Admiral elected to retire to quarters and catch Cookie early in the morning, before first watch began. He set his alarm for 0500 hours, at which time he entered enemy territory.