Eidonon: An Ideal

"Friends are the siblings God never gave us."

~ Mencius

"... In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets... Hence true Friendship is the least jealous of loves. Two friends delight to be joined by a third, and three by a fourth, … "

~ C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves

The command team of Nelson, Crane, and Morton had clicked. They had melded together over the past two years and brought out the best in each other and together brought out the best in the crew. The crew sensed the warm glowing bond of camaraderie and affection that had developed between the senior officers and basked in its glow. Perhaps it wasn't a military type of camaraderie but it worked on Seaview.

Now the bonds of friendship between Crane and Nelson that made the team a sum greater than its parts were fractured. Chip and Nelson could talk and Chip and Crane could. But there was a silence within the triumvirate where once a running commentary flourished. All aboard felt that loss. Discipline and duty kept the boat running but all sensed the constraint in the command team and grieved. Seaview herself seemed to be grieving.

Chip especially felt the loss. He now had to bridge the gap, be the go-between, negotiator, and sounding board. It was a lonely burden and with both other men out of the picture regarding the actual running the boat it made him a very busy man.

Chip was watching Lee wake up and it wasn't pleasant. Lee had been lying quietly but just a few moments ago that stopped abruptly as his face tensed into a grimace.

'useless … no!' Lee was writhing now, the dream foul. He was on Mulayo, looking down the barrel of Nelson's gun.

'You couldn't stop a bullet now, Krueger' as Nelson irrevocably pulled the trigger he felt Krueger free himself and leave his body in the instant before …

Lee let out a growling yell as he fought whatever was flooding his sleeping mind. The yell sounding in his ears startled him closer to wakefulness.

Chip said carefully not getting too close to the embattled sleeper. "How're you doing, Lee?"

Lee blinked his eyes open as another groan slid out. "Oh." He gasped. His tense shoulders sagged. As he blinked himself awake he took in Chip's concerned face. His eyes did a rapid check of the compartment, he knew now where he was. "It's okay, Chip. Just a dream. I'm fine."

Chip patted his shoulder, "You're fine. Right." He waited in companionable silence as Lee sorted out the rest of waking up. Soon though he needed to have another serious talk with Lee.

Lee's breakfast tray arrived and Chip drank coffee while Lee sipped at his fluid meal. Lee had progressed from a clear fluid diet to full fluids without any apparent increase in his enthusiasm for eating. At least with Chip there he made a semblance of an attempt.

Chip knew from past experience that Lee seriously went off his feed when he was very stressed. Of course for the Captain of the Seaview that meant he was often working on a calorie deficit when they were at sea unless the mission was a comparatively unexciting one of water sampling, marine life surveys, or ocean bottom charting. When they were on shore liberty after the more hectic missions Chip tried to get a few steak and potato meals into his friend to make up for it. This mission technically was a routine charting mission, a bit dull and straightforward or had been until Krueger had shown up.

It was Krueger and the ramifications of that spectre that he needed to talk to Lee about.

Once Lee had finished his attempt at his fluids Chip spoke. "Lee, I hate to bring it up but I have to." He hesitated knowing this wasn't a pleasant topic. "What did you think of what the Admiral told you?"

Chip needed to understand what Lee's thoughts on the matter were so he could figure out his own course of action.

Another groan came from Lee, this one not from a nightmare but a different kind of disquiet. Then he sighed, Crane's sighs always told a lot about the thoughts behind them. He had a whole repertoire of sighs for different eventualities. "I thought about it. I didn't like what I thought."

"No, I didn't think you would." Chip sighed, he must be learning it from Lee he thought in chagrin, "And?"

"I understand why he did it. That doesn't mean I like it, or agree with it."

"Right." Chip nodded, he didn't like it himself. "Would you feel up to helping me figure out what to put in the report?"

"What have you got so far?"

"Nothing. Been waiting on you and the Admiral."

"So what you really mean is that the Admiral and I have to talk again to figure out what really happened and from that sort out what we can put down on paper. Right?"

"Yes." Chip didn't think there was anything he could add to make it less distasteful.

"Dammit, Chip. You're here to get me to agree because I wouldn't agree if it had been anyone else who asked."

"Yeah, you pretty much got it in one."

Crane didn't like why Chip was here, but … no one but Chip would be able to get buy in.

Crane scoffed and shook his head. Honestly no one but Chip would have the guts. Thank god for Chip, he thought.

"He's not too happy about it, sir." Morton admitted.

"No I'm sure he isn't." Nelson responded. "He probably wouldn't want to see me again if he could help it."

Morton nodded unhappily. "No probably not, sir." That was a rather brutal thing to say Chip realized. "I'm sorry, sir."

"It's not you fault, Chip. No need to apologize." Nelson rubbed his hand over the back of his neck in sad thought. "Seems you've managed wonders, Chip. Thank you for that."

Chip nodded. "I'll talk to Doc, start setting it up."

"Very well, Chip." Chip left the room. Nelson stood looking at the closed door. Thank god for Chip, he thought.

Chip was sitting at the visitor side of Doc's desk in the small space that served as office and anteroom to sick bay.

"The Captain, the Admiral, and I must have a debriefing. Sorry, Doc to intrude on sick bay for it but I assume you won't want Lee moving around much."

"Are you sure, sir? The last one was pretty rough on the Captain."

"Doc, I can't make much progress until I have their agreement on the facts. There are a lot of ramifications to this mission and I need to get it right. I need this to happen."

Doc looked sceptical. "Are you telling me that you intend to doctor reports, sir?"

"No, I do understand that you must report the gunshot wound sustained by Captain Crane. That is sacrosanct. I need to clarify exactly what happened before and after so I can submit a report that does the least damage to all involved. Krueger is gone. I am left to pick up the pieces and I don't want to cause more harm than necessary to anyone in the boat's complement." Chip looked piercingly at Doc as he spoke. "I think perhaps that you can understand my position?"

"Yes, sir. I do. And I will do my best to support the least damage possible."

"I appreciate that, Doc. Can I count on you to prepare the Skipper for this?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you."

Chip got up and Doc watched him leave. Thank god for Chip, he thought.

When Doc spoke with the Captain he found the Captain's iron will once again in place and unbending.

"Chip will not be in the debrief, Doc. The Admiral and I will sort this out. If Chip isn't there he has deniability. He will not be anyone's scapegoat in this."

"I understand, sir. And may I say I agree with your reasons. That said, are you up for this sir?"

"I will be." Crane's eyes gave Doc his most determined look.

Doc thought, not for the first time, that he was privileged to serve with the best.