It's Not A Ship Without the Captain
by Maureen

Captain Adrian Fitzgerald stood out on the pier, watching the finishing touches being put on the newly refurbished submarine, SeaHawk. His new ship. Like a proud parent with a new child to fawn over, he practically had to be ordered to leave it alone. He knew every nuance, every nook, every cranny...okay, well, perhaps not every cranny, but certainly every nook.

He pulled the roster out of his jacket pocket, the light sea breeze ruffling the papers slightly, checking once again on his bridge crew. They would be picking up the commander and lt. commander several weeks into their tour and until then forced to do without. Damn UEO bureaucracy. Damn Macronesia.

Glancing at the bridge crew roster, he once again mentally reviewed their FAQ. The best in security, tactical, engineering, communications, computers, the works. With a start he realized it was nearing 13:30, the time the ship officially opened for the senior staff to board.