Jim and Tony ran through the MC’s diagnostics, which only added to their concern over the hull. According to the MC, the ship’s location next to the extremely hot water of the vent was causing expansion of the hull in only one localized area. Because the temperature gradient was so extreme from one side of the ship to the other, the MC was reporting that the hull was now bulging two feet further out of round than when they reached the bottom. Jim and Tony decided on a visual inspection of the area in question on each deck, with Tony starting in the lab and Jim starting at the bridge. They’d meet somewhere amidships. What Jim didn’t tell Tony was that he was stopping by sickbay first to speak with Jessica.
Jim waited a few minutes for Tony to leave and then headed to Deck Two, where Jessica was running some blood work in sickbay. He knocked and said hello as he walked in. She knew it was something serious when he closed the door behind him.
“I need to talk to you,” he said quietly.
“Sure, Commander—everything okay?”
“No. Everything is not okay,” he said, dropping into the nearest seat. “Jess, this is confidential.”
“Of course. Anything said to me as the ship’s doctor is always confidential. What is it, Skipper?”
“Ian. I saw what I saw. I know Ian was trying to say something. It’s like he was looking right at me. I know he couldn’t see me—couldn’t see us—but he must have known we could see him through the cameras. He was alive, Jess. And if he wasn’t, then I’m seeing things. And if I’m seeing things, I’m unfit for command and that’s a whole other kettle of fish.”
Jessica crossed her arms and studied his face. He looked exhausted. “Have you been able to sleep?”
“Not since that day. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face asking for help. He was practically reaching out for us. I know what I saw. I mean, I think I know what I saw. I don’t know if I’m losing it or not.”
Jessica told him to relax and started checking his pulse and blood pressure. “We can check your nitrogen concentration. It could be the narcosis building up. You were also traumatized by the death of a crewman. Sometimes it can cause psychological manifestations due to stress, or grief . . .”
“I’m not buying that, with all due respect. If it’s nitrogen building up, I can understand that—but stress? I’ve commanded nuclear ballistic submarines—this is a vacation. I think…I just . . .”
“What?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I saw Ian trying to speak. He was alive and moving, Jess. Check my blood. I know I’m not crazy.”
Jessica patted his shoulder and grabbed a syringe. “Okay, Skipper. We’ll take a look at your nitrogen levels. It’s just . . .”
“What?”
“Well, honestly, we were all standing there. You were the only one who saw Ian trying to speak.”
“Ted saw! He had to see.”
“Well, if he did, he didn’t say anything to anyone. Sorry, Commander.”
She drew his blood and pushed the sample into a vial that was then placed into the computer analyzer. “Just relax. Maybe you should sack out for a while. I can give you something to help you sleep.” She looked at him. “What is it?”
Jim put his hands to his face. “I’m afraid to sleep,” he said quietly. “Every time I close my eyes, I see Ian’s gray face. Those silvery eyes and purple lips looking right at me, begging me to help him. We left him out there to die . . .”
***********
The skipper was sitting in Jess’s chair, waiting for her to finish his blood work, when Tony called him.
“Hey Skipper—where are you?” asked Tony, sounding very stressed.
“I stopped by the sickbay to check on Jess. What’s up?”
“Come to the power plant, double-time!”
Jim stood up and said “I’m on my way” as he headed out the door before Jessica could stop him. He was talking as he was jogging. “What is it?”
“Water! We got water coming in from somewhere!”
Jim’s face paled as he broke into a full run for the stairs to the power plant.