Free New Homeport Island by Robert Lyon

said, “Ya,
 he’s up there…so…” Dohann set down his paper work and
 adjusted his position in his chair like a talk show host settling in
 and said, “Ah…GSM1, I want you to go up there as quickly as
 you can, and ask the captain… personally…if he needs your

help.” Hudlow looked as though he just lapsed out of a day
 dream and responded, “I…ah, okay.”
In Aux1 I had completed the weld and reopened the valve.
The forward engine room called over the 2JV, “Hudlow, why
 were you looking for the captain?” I said to Rich, “When it rains
 it pours.” Clarkson’s voice called out over the 1MC,
“Commanding officer, contact the bridge.” Then over the 2JV
Lees voice called out, “Forward, central high vibes shutdown on
G.T.M. two alpha; investigate and report. Stand by monitor start
G.T.M. two bravo.”
Over the 2JV Gillis replied with an enraged voice, “The
 captain is down here!” to which Orbly nearly instantly called out
 from central on the 2JV, “Report it to central jack ass!” The
Captain stood with Gillis in front of the local control console
 and with a chuckle he gestured behind him to the 2JV amplifier
 with his thumb and said, “Ya, report it to Central too.”
There was a whirling howl, a screaming of demons in
 hell…the ship was smacking the break water slamming the bow
 and listing ten to fifteen degrees at a four/four time, absolutely
 rock and roll. The screaming gas turbine reached an
 unsustainable pitch and rather than give way it instead increased
 its pitch. Gillis’s shoulders were up around his ears and his eyes
 wide, the captain looked at him startled and said, “Isn’t that a
 normal start?” Gillis replied with a cagey demeanor, “Ya…yes,
 sir.”  
The Captain took a step forward toward the console with
 his sea-legs a little delayed and gestured at the consoles
 indicators and said, “What is it you’re supposed to be watching
 here?” Gillis was locked up in performance anxiety, he couldn’t
 utter a word and the engines howl has always struck he as the
 worst moment of his life. This was pointed out by several of his
    shipmates and his reply was always, “you know how the say the
 most dangerous part of the flight is the takeoff and
 landing…that’s the takeoff.”
Before he could answer the Captains question the ship
 pitched in against a swell and green water came across the bow
 listing to starboard throwing Gillis into the Captain’s arms.
Gillis uttered, “I’m gonna piss myself.” the captain pushed away
 from him but they were bound together by their own weight on
 the tilting deck and their mutual desire to not be thrown down to
 the generator flat landing on their faces. Washam was
 descending the ladder down to the PLCC level and was thrown
 to his knees; he picked himself up and saw the embrace between
 the Captain and Gillis. Washam said, “Well that hurt my knees
 like hell…but, it turns out it was totally worth it.” and with a
 huge ‘cat and canary grin’ glanced up the ladder for any other
 witnesses that might make it down in time.  Gillis looked back
 and saw Washam’s grin and instantly blushed, and upon
 realizing he was blushing he looked at the captain apologetically
 and tried to pull his way up the slanting deck. Gillis told the
Captain in an embarrassed whisper, “It’ll pitch the other way in
 a second.” and turned around to prevent seeing that look on the
Captains face. As the Captain realized Gillis was turning around
 he considered throwing himself down to the generator level, but
 that level has diamond deck plates instead of a continuous metal
 deck and he decide against it and with a high pitched squeal he
 uttered, “I’ll never pay you alimony.”
GSM3 Washam collapsed in uncontrollable laughter as the
 ship did as Gillis predicted, it proved that it does go both ways.
Gillis and Artimus braced