Free Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson Page B

unless she was even tougher and faster than he thought. Maybe she sank. Now that was a happy thought.
    All these considerations came in an instant, just before he turned back to Mahan and raised the speaking trumpet.
    “Is your fire under control?” The trumpet projected his tinny voice across the intervening distance. “Will our hoses help? Can you steam? Where’s Captain Atkinson?” He thought he already knew the answer to his final question. A bedraggled form moved to the rail. It might have been the same man who had helped coordinate their charge, but it was impossible to be sure. The man cupped his hands and shouted.
    “I’m Lieutenant Brister. Engineering. Captain Atkinson’s dead. The whole bridge crew’s dead or badly wounded. I think we’ve about got the fire licked and we can steam, but I had to use the men on the steering detail for damage control. If you can spare some men, I think we can get under way.”
    The entire bridge crew? “Who’s in command?”
    “I guess I am, sir.”
     
    “Lieutenant Brister’s a fine officer,” commented Matt as he and Ellis watched the whaleboat motor across the short distance between the ships. They’d sent half a dozen seamen under Bosun’s Mate 1st Class Francis “Frankie” Steele, of the second deck division, as well as Signalman Ed Palmer, with one of the portable Morse lamps. None of Mahan ’s lamps had survived the destruction of her bridge and auxiliary conn. At least now they’d be able to communicate.
    Jim nodded. “Yes, sir. He deserves a commendation for keeping his ship afloat, not to mention fighting her so well. He’s gonna have his hands full, though.”
    “Yeah, he’s not a navigator or a bridge officer. I hate to lose you, but maybe you better go across and assume command.”
    Jim frowned. “Well, sure, if you say so, Skipper, but we’ve got damage of our own.”
    Matt waved away his objection. “Lieutenant Dowden can handle it. He knows what to do, and the men like him. Besides, he’s the assistant damage control and repair officer. With Richard dead, it’s his job.” He looked at Ellis with a sad smile. “Go on, Jim. Mahan needs you. We have to get her under way as soon as possible, and if anybody can speed that up, it’s you.”
    Jim quietly watched several ratings sweeping and mopping debris. “Aye, aye, sir. I guess I just hate to leave the old girl in such a shape.” He smiled wryly and looked at Mahan . “I never expected my first command to be the best ship in the Navy, but this is ridiculous.” Matt barked an unexpected laugh at how closely his exec’s thoughts mirrored his own when he first assumed command of Walker . Of course, Mahan was in worse shape than Walker , and Walker had taken a terrible beating. Comparatively speaking, Jim had more right to complain.
    “I’ll just run down and get some things and as soon as the boat re turns, I’ll go.” He stood awkwardly for a moment, then thrust out his hand. “Take care, sir . . . Matt.”
    Matt shook his hand and squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “You too. Report as soon as you have a handle on what shape she’s in. Holler if you need help.”
    Jim grinned. “Same here.” He looked around. “Even money who hollers first.” They both chuckled, and then Lieutenant Ellis stepped back a pace and saluted. Matt returned it and after Jim left the bridge he sighed and sat tiredly in his chair. “Pass the word for Mr. Dowden.”
     
    The whaleboat returned and the coxswain, Tony Scott, was unhappy to learn he had another trip to make. He was strangely uneasy. The water didn’t seem quite right. He was wrung out, like everybody, and the weird experience of the squall had left him unnerved. But what had him on edge right now was how many things kept bumping into the boat. He was accustomed to the occasional thump of a fish, or a shark, but they were out in the middle of the ocean and things wouldn’t stop bumping his boat. It was constant. Nothing big had struck