Norsemen!
Chapter Four

Gunny took a cup of coffee offered by the steward while he read some reports from the rear, back home. The Captain was on the fore deck over looking some repairs that they took in a small storm last week while the radio man was writing down messages coming in from the Skipper back home. Gunny wrote down a message to send to the Skipper in the rear asking him to reduce the cost of uniforms so they could use the money on material building.

'Skipper! We need to reduce the cost of anything we can and start building up our military. You got the message on the Greek take over in the south. I am talking about small things that could save a lot such as the hats. Stop making the kepi and go for the standard piss cutter we use, over seas cap,or, if we can afford it, the smokie bear campaign hat if it's cost effective, (keep the sun off their necks). Make the uniforms a simpler cut but don't be stingy in quality. Our gear can now be made of canvas like ours back home so we can cut out leather except for things such as rifle slings, shoes, etc. Our helmets are fine now, they look like our steel pots back home. We also are in need of long range bombers....twin engine would be a medium range but we need to get as far south as we can to take out their production. I want to hit them before they hit us. Send me your thoughts. End of message'

Gunny went out on deck to watch the crew go through their daily routine while he waited the Skippers answer. He saw them working steadily around the ship doing everyday things, like scrapping rust and painting, even swabbing the deck like on U.S.Navy ships. Crowds gathered on the dock at times to watch them as if they were in a zoo as his crew went about their duties. There was a crowd of about fifteen or twenty of the tall people standing on the docks, not far away, just watching them. Gunny went to the railings, put his foot up then leaned forward on it while sipping his coffee and waving at them with a smile.

A radio man came up, handed him a message then departed back into the radio shack. Gunny set hit coffee on the deck and began to read. It was from the skipper.

'Gunny! Greetings and salutations.' Geesh, Gunny thought. The skipper still has his humor. 'I agree with you on everything except the long range bombers. This would set us back both in time and money. We should stick with our twin engines until a later time. I all ready sent word to start manufacturing the web gear to replace all the leather, good idea, a lot cheaper. I agree with the caps and I would like to go with a simpler design than the smokie or campaign hat. I checked with the local hat makers and we can make a short crowned western style hat...much cheaper than a smokie. And it would keep the sun off their face and neck as well. And the Greeks did just as I said they would....break for the south since they can not beat us. I agree they will return here at some point in time but I truly think we have time for a build up before hand. Your wife, Yngilder, sends her love. End of message'

"Message from Snow, Gunny." The runner handed him the copy and was off again to his station. Snow and Hennison were in charge of the armory, making weapons.

'Gunny! Breakthrough. Got word from the aircraft builders that we now have a dive bomber, several have all ready been made and are on the flight line.'

Gunny scratched his head in thought, what kind of dive bomber? Two seater? Single seat? How big is the bomb? Their aircraft took a turn in manufacture when they discovered aluminum in the northern province so now they have World War Two style aircraft. But what was this new airplane like? Speed? Armament? Range? He would get the information on it later he thought.

As he read the message a shadow came over him and he looked up, which made him take a step backwards in surprise. As he stood there with his mouth open he looked up at a huge triangle shaped object that seemed to float across the air like a balloon with no sound what so ever. He just stood there amazed but not surprised, he expected this from Oden's people. His entire crew stopped to stair upwards at it until it sailed out of sight over some mountains inland.

"Back to work people!" The deck Chief yelled.

After that nothing happened for several days other than normal ship board activities of cleaning and repairing. Nothing from Oden or his people with no more on lookers at the dock either. On the fourth day Gunny started to get restless, wanting to get back home to over see everything that was going on. He walked onto the bridge, the Captain was there, cup of coffee in her hand when he arrived.

"Skipper? When do you think we can shove off?" He asked her.

"When ever you want, Gunny." She said with a smile. "We are getting rusty just sitting here."

"I agree and with nothing from the tall people for the last three days I think it's time we shove off for home." He said.

"Do I set the sea and anchor detail, Gunny?" She asked.

He went to the hatchway, looking out onto the deck he saw no one on the dock.

"Yes! Lets head for home, skipper."

The loud speaker came to life;

"All hands stand by. Set the special sea and anchor detail, prepare to get underway."

The was quick and excited scurrying of all hands as they prepared to get under way and head for home. The ships bell rang twelve bells for noon as the crew cast off the lines and threw them back on the dock. The diesel engines came alive with black smoke coming out of the two smoke stacks and the deck plates vibrating while it built up enough force to move them out. The radio crackled loudly with a voice from on shore.

"Norse ship, Norse ship. Hold you position!"

Gunny stepped inside as the radio operator looked at him for advice.

"What do I tell them, sir?" He asked.

"Nothing!" Gunny replied.

The Skipper looked at the Gunny and smiled, then turned to the bridge to get under way while the radio kept blasting the same message for them to stay in place.

"Three quarter speed, helm. Heading, one, one, zero degrees."

"Eye, sir. Three quarter speed, heading one, one, zero degrees."

"Set condition Alfa."

"Eye...set condition Alfa."

"Look out: watch our six."

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"Stand by to sound general quarters." She said looking at Gunny. "Just in case."

"Eye, sir. Stand by to sound general quarters."

The ship picked up speed as they exited the harbor, leaving a white wake behind them and what seemed to be aircraft coming in their direction.

"Look out! Aircraft spotted, one, nine, eight degrees."

"How many, look out?"

"I count four, sir. And they are fast movers."

"Sound general quarters!" The Skipper said as she stood on the bridge looking through her binoculars towards the rear.

The klaxon sounded loudly making all hands run for their battle stations, manning all guns on the ship as what looked like flying eggs came near. They were shaped like an egg, white in color and made no noise as they approached.

"Hold fire unless they shoot first!" Gunny yelled.

"Eye, sir. Hold fire!"

A beam of yellow light came from the lead egg, aiming into the water just aft of the ship causing the water to erupt into a frenzy. Some of the crew jumped as if scared but the Gunny and Skipper stood still, just watching. Then the Gunny got mad, taking a few steps out of the bridge onto the deck, in plain sight of the flying ships.

"OK Oden! You said you were a peaceful people. What are you going to do...DESTROY us? You KNOW we will fight to our deaths."

The entire crew could hear a voice.

"Return to the harbor, immediately!" It said.

"You can GO TO HELL!" The Gunny yelled back. "If this is how you treat people I will have none of it!"

"We have not concluded our discussions. You will return to port." The voice demanded.

"We are going home and we are going to war." The Skipper yelled as she stood next the the Gunny.

"I don't know if you are like the movies or not..have some kind of invisible shield or not but if you are still in place in thirty seconds...we WILL open fire!" Gunny paused. "YOU fired the first shot!"

There was silence then the craft started falling back to the port.

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