He sighed and smiled.
“Well, Dr. Bowman, since you guys brought us back pretty much intact; I’ll have to think about it. Moving this big egg around the ocean will not be an easy task but we’ll try. Remember we still have that CHUS cable to attack but it may take us a while to return.”
Laughing together, they jumped as the ceiling cutout fell and crashed clanging to the floor. The hole in the ceiling, about three feet in diameter, looked like it would give us adequate room to climb up and exit once it cooled. I could already smell the freedom. Then the ladder dropped down bringing another cheer and the crew started up almost as soon as it hit the floor.
Small groups of crew had gathered laughing and saying goodbyes but soon they broke up and climbed up to Deck 2.
I pulled the Admiral to the side as he put a foot on the ladder.
“Are we going back to Point Mugu? Do you know?”
“I do not know but I assume that, yes. You’ll have a short debriefing there and then I’ll have you and Briscoe taken home. I believe the Osprey is on standby for that. The Tine is not far away.” With that, he turned and climbed up the ladder.
Finally, Briscoe and I stood with Dave reflecting on the unbelievable past week.
“Come up with us, Dave. Please,” I said almost begging.
“No, my place is here. I’ll see you again, Matt Cross. I know it.”
He sniffled and held out a hand to me then the Chief.
“You both will never know how much I appreciated your help. I couldn’t have done it without you. We’d all be dead by now.”
He paused and whispered, “You know that you’re my prime witnesses for what happened down there. Nobody is going to believe me but the Admiral, and he’s set to retire next month. Can I call on you for verification of the horror we experienced if I need to?”
“Sure,” I said smiling.
Briscoe patted him on the back.
“Of course, Dr. Bowman. I for one will never forget that thing and the trouble it caused. I just wonder what will become of it.”
“Me, too. I may have to go back someday and find out,” he said.
“Ohhh no. Time to go, Marker. Say your goodbyes and follow me up.”
With unexpected emotions I hugged him goodbye and stepped up on the first rung. Looking back at him I said, “We’ll send a ladder back down to you. I know they have rope ones.”
Shortly we had climbed to Deck 3 looking out over the ocean lapping at the dome only feet below us. The cool salt sea air had never smelled so good, as we stood breathing it in for minutes with storm clouds brewing off to the west darkening the horizon and the evening sun.
Soon a harness dropped down from a large chopper and its lineman motioned for one of us to go. His assistant standing near Briscoe strapped him in and sent him up. Then he eyed me.
“Are you the last? The Captain?”
“No, he’s staying down on Deck 1. Can you get him a ladder so he’s not stranded down there?”
“I’ll put a rope ladder on each level before we leave, sir. The Admiral already asked me for that. He will be well cared for since he just saved this multi-million dollar station from destruction.”
I nodded smiled and watched the Chief enter the chopper’s side door.
Moments later, he reached out and grabbed the harness as it neared.
“Here’s your ride. Climb in.”
As I drifted up toward the chopper and watched another one hovering nearby with the station gently rocking in the waves below, I felt a loneliness that I’d never before experienced.
I was leaving a part of my life down there. A part I could never talk about to anyone — even my wife. Briscoe would believe me but he would probably go back to his cruiser put on his campaign hat and happily cruise the Interstates soon forgetting our mission. I knew I would be returning to the depths at MBORC pulling up derelict ships and lost cargo but nothing could ever match the excitement of my time on Sea Station Umbra. It was a story I could tell my grandkids.
“Where are we going, Chief?” I asked. “Heard anything yet?”
“They said Point Mugu. Should be there by sunset. Then a late debriefing and we’re heading home.”
“Tonight?”
“Yep, that’s what they said.”
I looked around at the chopper’s jump seats filled with the station’s crew. As they laughed and relived their tour I thought forward to seeing my wife again and hugging and spending the rest of my life with her. I thought Funny how time away from each other especially life-threatening time brings you closer together. I had never told Lindy why I was so melancholy when I returned home from trips like this but I suspected she knew.
“Hey, Marker. All his merriment reminds me. When are you taking me and the wife to Big Bear like you promised?”
I glanced up at him, smiling awaiting an answer.
“Next weekend of course. How’s that?”
“All right. I’m gonna hold you to that. Call me and tell us where to meet you. We’ll drive up and enjoy the ride.”
“I’ll call for reservations tomorrow and if they’re full I’ll just buy the place.”
He laughed and started a conversation with Williams so I went back to daydreaming.
Soon we began our descent over NAS Point Mugu. Looking out the side window, I saw lights on the runway flashing in sequence awaiting our arrival. I wondered what to expect. Then I noticed an F-4 Phantom fighter sitting at the end with heat tendrils still rising from its engines.
“Look,” I said directing the Chief’s attention. “That’s Admiral Greenfield’s ride. Wonder if he’s here.”
“Probably, Marker,” he scoffed. “You know how he likes to fly back and forth to Florida. Must have a golf game nearby.”
As our chopper landed, I looked out on the runway and saw a Navy pool bus waiting by a long stretch flag officer’s limo. With the chopper’s rotors spinning down, its main door open, and steps dropped down to the tarmac, the crew started filing out toward the bus under a seaman’s direction. Briscoe, Franklin, and I were the last to deplane and were stopped by a distant voice calling our names.
“That’s Greenfield!” exclaimed Franklin. “Never expected to see him here.”
“Hope he’s not pissed,” said the Chief peering his way.
The Admiral looked at Briscoe.
“Why would he be pissed? If you just came back from a scuttled station, he might be pissed but you didn’t. You saved it. He’s probably heard by now and wants to thank you.”
“I hope so,” I said. “We did our best.”
Walking up to us Greenfield smiled and looked around.
“Where’s Bowman?”
“He stayed with the station. Gonna ride it into dry dock,” Franklin replied.
He shook his head and sharply saluted us.
“Thank you boys. I heard what you did. And I have to tell you that you did not disappoint me. From what Bowman said during his Mayday call, you performed some miracles down there. And, as to how you got that Goddamned station to float up to the surface intact I’ll never understand. It should have scuttled halfway up but thank God, it didn’t. He reached in his pocket and pulled out two cell phones handing one to me the other to Briscoe.
“There are your toys gentlemen. Use them wisely. I would hate to see you walk into a signpost reading your email as I did today… but it was about your station’s emergency. Fortunately I was away from Florida: otherwise I could never have made it here in time for your return.”
His signpost confession brought a round of laughter from us as he opened his briefcase and pulled out two checks.