Chapter 1

Electronics Technician Chief Eddie Nolan had a lot going for him. He was nearing the completion of a twenty-year career in the U.S. Navy, he had served his country well and was proud of what he’d accomplished, career-wise. He’d been married for most of that career and had three children: a boy and two girls. At this time, his family was residing in military housing just north of Mission Valley in San Diego, California. While they lived there, he was deployed with the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet. Presently, his ship was moored at a pier in Napier, New Zealand, but would be getting underway the next day. He had just made the rounds of his various equipment spaces, getting an update from his team of technicians. As he stepped out onto the weather decks he was hailed by an officer:

“Hey, chief, do you have a minute? I’d like to talk with you.”

The officer was Lieutenant (O-3) Butler, the Weapons Officer for the ship, whose direct superior was the Combat Systems Officer, a department head and Navy Commander. Eddie had stood watch with Mr. Butler several times in the Combat Information Center (CIC). Lt. Butler was not in Eddie’s direct chain of command. Observing standard protocol, which states an enlisted man must salute each officer the first time they encounter them each day, if they are out of doors and are ‘covered’ (wearing a hat), Eddie saluted him. Returning the salute, Mr. Butler indicated they should move off to the side of the deck, to keep the way clear for others.

“Morning, sir, how can I help you today?”

Flushing slightly, the officer lowered his voice and replied:

“It’s about that poem you wrote for me.”

Eddie, who was becoming known as the ship’s poet, had written poems for several crewmembers. He remembered a time in CIC, while at sea between port visits to Sydney, and Brisbane, Mr. Butler had mentioned a woman he’d met while in Sydney and asked if Eddie would consider writing a bit of poetry for the officer, to be sent to his love interest. Eddie had agreed and questioned the officer for any details of his relationship with the anonymous Aussie lady. A couple of days later, Eddie had presented Mr. Butler with a short, but romantic poem, incorporating some of the details he’d been told about, concerning their relationship. In reading the poem, Mr. Butler had been impressed so much he had tears in his eyes. Thanking the chief profusely, he told Eddie he was going to enclose it with his next letter to her. Eddie had wondered if it had made any impact.

“Yes, sir, did she like it?”

“Chief, you got me engaged! I sent it to her from Brisbane, and by the time we pulled into Auckland, and I called her, she was gushing with enthusiasm over it. We talked every day we were in port. I took a chance and bought her a ring in Auckland and sent it to her, asking her to marry me. When we pulled in the other day, I called again and she nearly screamed in my ear, accepting my proposal. When I get back to San Diego, we’ll plan our wedding. I’m not sure if it will be in the states, or if she’ll decide she wants to marry in Australia. If it’s held stateside, I’ll invite you, chief. I want to thank you again. I know I should tell her who wrote it, but I’m afraid to tell her yet. How do you feel, chief?” he inquired.

“I feel like Cyrano De Bergerac. But don’t feel you have to tell her. Just hope she doesn’t want you to write anymore, I may not be available.” he chuckled.

“I really owe you, chief.” Lt Butler admitted.

“No worries, sir. Yours is not the only poem I’ve ghostwritten.” Eddie revealed.

“Well, thanks anyway. Take care, chief.” Mr. Butler intoned.

“Will do, sir. You too, and good luck with your engagement.” Eddie answered.

Walking toward the quarterdeck, Eddie had a wide grin on his face due to his recent talk with the lieutenant. The OOD, Data Systems Technician Chief Mahoney saw him coming.

“Who in hell did you just screw? I’d recognize that ‘freshly fucked’ grin anywhere!” chief Mahoney sassed.

“Stuff it! Someone else will do the screwing, but I facilitated it!” Eddie retorted.

“What does that mean, horndog?” the OOD asked.

“I wrote a poem for Lt Butler to send to an Aussie gal he met in Sydney, and he credits my poem for her accepting his engagement ring. So, I guess you could say I facilitated it, right?” Eddie suggested.

“Ha, ha, you lose, pal. What do you get out of it?” the DSC quipped.

“Hey, I can’t score every time. Maybe I’ll get to kiss the bride.” Eddie suggested.

“Maybe you can score with one of her bridesmaids.” the OOD snorted.

“Maybe. You never know. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m getting more pussy than you.” Eddie boasted.

“Everybody’s getting more pussy than me. My wife’s got my dick stored in a shoebox until I get back.” Chief Mahoney moaned.

“Is ‘that’ why you always squat to pee?” Eddie laughed.

“Has your son been peeking again? Fuck you very much, buddy.” DSC retorted.

All the repartee had them laughing, but the POOW(Petty Officer of the Watch) cut in to remind the OOD of the need to send the MOOW (Messenger of the Watch) to deliver Twelve o’clock reports to the captain. Eddie continued to laugh as he walked off the quarterdeck.

Heading below decks to the chiefs’ mess, Eddie saw his buddy HMC Al Tory sitting at one of the tables, dealing with some paperwork. As he entered, Al looked up and motioned for him to sit across from him. Pulling back a chair, ETC Nolan sat down.

“What’s up, Al? I seldom see you doing paperwork in the mess.” Eddie inquired.

“Yeah, but I had to get out of sick bay. It felt like the walls were closing in. Once we’re underway again, I’ll probably take root there. At least you’ve got more than one space to do your work in.” Al groused.

“You’re welcome to hang out in any of my spaces you want.” Eddie offered.

“Yeah, and how am I supposed to treat my patients?” Al asked.

“Keep your medical bag with you.” Eddie suggested.

“That would never work. I’d always need something I don’t have and have to go to sick bay for it.” Al grumbled.

“Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch! Would you like the hull technician’s to install a picture window in sick bay?” he chortled.

“Could you, please?” Al smirked.

“Would you like that before or after lunch, asshole” Eddie grinned.

They were still laughing when the other chiefs started filtering in for the noon meal, so Al collected his paperwork and set it aside.

Later that day, while Eddie was doing his own paperwork in the electronics shop, Al brought up his mail which had been delivered to the chiefs’ mess.

“I thought you might want to read this now, to give you time to reply before we get underway tomorrow. Mail will probably go out late tonight. Anything interesting, maybe?” Al inquired.

“Thanks, buddy. Let me check.” Eddie replied.

Al knew nearly everything there was to know about Eddie, but he had no knowledge of the recent incestual happenings. A letter from Lorna Phillips was something he could safely share, and the expected mundane missive from his wife, Carol. The letter from Steven, he’d save until he was alone. Opening Lorna’s letter, he gave it a cursory read, then reread it to Al. Lorna knew Eddie was tentatively scheduled to return to Japan, but not Korea. In her letter, she asked if he was still coming up to Yokosuka, and if so, an ETA. She told him she wanted to see him again, and it would be easier for her to travel to Japan than it would be for him to come to Korea. She reassured him that she would be fine to travel, even in her gravid condition. Eddie looked at Al, and Al responded:

“I guess I won’t see much of you while we’re in Yokosuka, outside working hours.” he smirked.

“You can hang out with Ron and Yuki. Ron told me he thinks they have all the red tape taken care of and hopes to get married while we’re in Japan, then again in San Diego, just to hit all the bases.” Eddie proposed.

“Yeah, I could, but that wouldn’t be as much fun as being with my horndog buddy.” Al snickered.

“Al, you forget, I never had a woman last time we were in Japan.” he admonished.

“Ah, but only because Yuki’s friends wanted a husband, not just a ‘one-night-stand’.” Al reminded.

“So, what’s changed? If Lorna wasn’t meeting me in Japan, you and I would still be doing the abstinence bit, and there’s no guarantee Lorna wants any physical contact with me. She probably wants me to set up a trust fund for our child, or get a sample of my DNA, so she can get me to pay child support.” Eddie argued.

“I don’t think so. Between her and her husband, they make more than enough to support one child.” Al suggested.

“Maybe, but if she reveals to her husband that she has a bun in the oven, he’ll divorce her.” Eddie returned.

“Didn’t you say she suspected he’d fathered a couple kids himself?” HMC advised.

“Yeah but proving it could be harder than you think.” Eddie snorted.

“What in the hell are we arguing about? I was just saying I wouldn’t be with you on the beach, like normal.” Al protested.

“Yeah. Sorry, Al. If Lorna doesn’t want to have any intimate moments together, you could hang around with us. We’ll have to wait and see.” Eddie conceded.

“So, did your wife write to tell you she wants to have sex on the brow, or pier, just to welcome her ‘sailor home from the sea’?” Al chuckled.

“Fat fucking chance of that! She’s probably telling me to not expect any sex, despite our agreement. Let’s see what the frigid bitch has to say.” Eddie said, tearing open the letter from Carol.

Giving it a quick read, he began laughing out loud. Al thought, for a moment, his friend was losing it, or perhaps Carol was asking for a divorce, which he knew Eddie would jump at. Through laughter and tears, Eddie paraphrased the letter:

“She says she knows the first night home, she belongs to me, for an hour or so, but she wants us to socialize with her new friend, and her husband, who’s on this ship.”

“What’s so funny about that? She lets you do a ‘wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am’ like usual, then the evening is open, and if she has a friend, she may treat her husband the same way!” Al questioned.

Feeling it was time to reveal Carol’s extra-marital activities, he swore him to secrecy, especially where it concerned SM1 Brady. Eddie left out his son’s involvement. He did mention Carl Thompson’s wife may be involved, too. Al blanched at the thought of Eddie being socially involved with that couple, having seen Gladys, and believing Carl had all the personality of a ‘bent shit-can’.

“Holy shit! Your wife is frigid with you but is a carpet muncher? How fucked up is that?” Al exclaimed.

“Well, as far as I know, my wife has never gone down on a woman. She lets Brady’s wife do her, but no one else and Carol doesn’t reciprocate, as far as I’ve learned so far. I can’t imagine why she wants to get together with another couple. She won’t let me eat her, and she won’t suck me, so why in the hell does she want to be with another couple, unless things have progressed further since I talked to ‘Flags’ last. Maybe I’ll look him up while we’re at sea.” he surmised.