. 1

Adventures in Swinging Chapter 30 Part 1

January 29, 1900hrs

HMS Anson S-124

Submerged, Depth 22.5 meters

Distance from Galveston: 337 miles

Course 095 degrees, Speed 24 knots

Captain Derrick Lewis, commanding His Majesty's Nuclear Submarine Anson, took his customary place in the command center of his boat.

"What is our current status, Number One," he asked.

The Executive Officer approached and reported, "We continue at visual mast depth, running on a parallel course five kilometers astern, off their larboard quarter. They are now bearing 030 degrees relative."

"Thank you, Number One. Station, Please." Lewis looked at the screen directly to his front and activated the viewing mast. In just five seconds, the fiber optic camera rewarded him with visual, several meters above the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. He advanced the attitude control for the imager to 030 degrees. He was rewarded with a view of Crossthwaite's ship moving at full speed. Toggling to thermal imaging mode in white hot, the ship's image became starkly apparent. After a few additional seconds, he deactivated the feed and retracted the mast. Rubbing his eyes, he felt someone approach.

Yeoman Maxwell Davies cleared his throat, asking, "Sir, would you care for a cup of tea?"

Lewis smiled, "Yes, Mr. Davies, that would be perfect. Thank you." Davies quickly moved off to fetch the beverage. Lewis asked aloud, "Navigator, pipe the latest position track of the squadron to my station, please."

"Yes sir, you should have it now," came the response.

Lewis brought the image up on his screen. He noticed the other British ships had re-established their position well over the horizon ahead of Crossthwaite's vessel as planned. The U.S.S. Spruance, however, had yet to return from refueling.

Mr. Davies came alongside his Captain and carefully handed him a saucer and cup of hot English Breakfast Tea. "Thank you, Davies. That will be all for now." Lewis blew cautiously on the steaming surface before taking a careful sip. Savoring the taste, he thought, 'Let's give the Yank a little more time.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 29, 1935hrs CST

Boat Deck

Distance from Galveston: 340 miles

Course 095 degrees, Speed 24 knots

Geoffrey Crossthwaite had positioned himself against the ship's superstructure inboard of the assembly point for the lifeboat station that Annie was assigned. Mr. Wellman's mandatory 'Muster Drill' was not quite complete, but Crossthwaite had spotted Annie, and, taking her hand in his, he led her off.

"Geoffrey, are you certain I may leave? We haven't finished the drill yet," Annie asked.

Crossthwaite waved his hand to dismiss the worry, "Ellie, you did fine. I arranged for a late dinner service this evening. In the meantime, I want to give you a tour of our AI center below deck.

Annie smiled as she wrapped her arm inside Crossthwaite's, "I was wondering when you would. I am excited to see your approach to the ship's AI. I hope I can be of some help to your staff."

Crossthwaite patted Annie's hand, saying, "I have no doubt you will."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 29

2105hrs CST

Site-E, Surgical Center

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

The ICU room was darkened and quiet except for the medical monitors tracking Heather's unconscious form. Tucked neatly under the covers, Heather remained unconscious after the surgery to remove what was left of the left kidney, repair the damage to her colon, and clean the wound channel. The thoracic surgeon required three hours to stem and repair all the arterial damage, which required six additional units of blood. Seth's wife lay still, her left side pierced with two drainage tubes. An IV of blood plasma was hung on the stand. The display's steady beep and sinus rhythm signaled Heather's heart at work.

Andrea stood alongside Ellie, sitting beside Heather's bed on a small two-person sofa. Andrea sensed Ellie's distress, and her hand instinctively came up and rested tenderly on her boss's shoulder. Ellie accepted the reassurance, and her left hand came up, and she patted Andrea, acknowledging the gesture.

The turmoil in her head was swirling, and for Ellie, it was driving her to distraction. She buried her face in her hands and openly sobbed. The door to the ICU bay opened, and Andrea turned to see Jared coming through.

"I will take it from here, Andi," he said softly. "The uplink continues, and you should cover down on that until the shift changes. Kat will relieve you."

Andi nodded and moved to let Jared pass her and sit on the sofa next to Ellie. "Any word from the team at sea?" she asked.

Jared settled himself next to his wife and pulled her to him as he answered, "Control called on the Iridium and gave us our first real update. The team had to work through a few challenges, but the situation is under Control, and the uplink is not at risk. Ellie and I will need to discuss some issues with Seth and Annie when they return, but Ellie doesn't need to concern herself."

Ellie heard Jared's conversation with Andrea, and the mention of Annie's name allowed her to resurface from the well of regret she was wallowing in. Turning her head, she looked at Jared and asked, "What is it, Jare? Is Annie okay?"

Jared motioned for Andrea to leave. As the door to the ICU closed behind her, Jared said to Ellie, "Everything is going well. You should feel nothing but pride in your daughter. Our Annie has Crossthwaite off balance, and he truly bought the human growth hormone and botox deception. Annie is buying us valuable time that we need. We are almost there, El. Evangeline told our team that somewhere around 0200 hrs, the transfer would be complete."

Ellie nodded. Jared kissed her forehead tenderly and then pulled back. Ellie's eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was puffy. She needed sleep. Her nose was stuffy, so Jared reached into his pocket and produced a small pack of Kleenex and a bottle of Neosynephrine nasal spray.

Ellie took the bottle and broke the seal. She unscrewed the cap and shot two squirts into each nostril, tilting her head back. Jared cautioned her, "You aren't supposed to do that, sweetheart."

Ellie mutterred, "Can it Hansen." The automatic blood pressure cuff hissed as it inflated. Ellie was startled and sat straight up. Jared steadied her, "It's just the BP monitor, El."

Ellie nodded. Jared hugged her tight, "She will make it, El. I spoke with the surgeon on the way to meet you here. Everything went well. She can make it on just her right kidney. They are giving her a high dose of antibiotics as a precaution against infection from the injury the bullet caused to her colon."

Ellie pulled back from Jare and looked him in the eyes, declaring, "All this is because of me, my loving man--all of it. If I hadn't cheated on you, then Jason never would have betrayed our country. My stupid, selfish defilement of our marriage a decade ago triggered Everything. I so regret the hurt I caused you, and I will never forgive myself if Heather dies. Dear Lord, I am such a fool."

Jared clasped Ellie's face forcefully with both his hands. "You are no fool, Eleanor Jean O'Hanlon," he began. You are my loving wife and devoted Mother of two fine young women, and you are about to give birth to a sentient cybernetic daughter, the best of you. You are brilliant and creative, and if you don't win a Nobel prize, then there is no justice remaining in the world."

Jared paused to gauge the effect his brief soliloquy had on Ellie. His wife smiled for the first time in hours and giggled that unique laugh he adored. As she looked up at her husband, silhouetted and backlit by the colors of the medical monitors beeping behind him, she joked, "Anything else?"

Jared chuckled, "Yeah, and oh so human, my love."

A nurse came into the room and handed Jared a note. He unfolded and scanned it quickly: "Andrea needs us both in the control room. Pull it together, Doctor Hansen." They both stood up together. Jared took a moment to kiss his wife and pass on more reassurance. Ellie turned to gaze down at her best friend. "I wish Bunty was here," she whispered.

Jared heard his wife's plea. He closed his eyes and accepted the subtle connection that bound Ellie, Bunty, and Heather. Jared watched as Ellie bent down and kissed Heather on the lips. "Let's go, El," he urged.

As they left the ICU, Ellie turned to look back at Heather and said aloud for Jare to hear, "We need Hallie to take the kids to see their Mom. It will help her fight her way back."

"I will take care of it once we check in with Andrea," Jared replied, taking Ellie's hand and closing the ICU door behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 29

2110hrs CST

Distance from Galveston: 383 miles

Course 095 degrees, Speed 24 knots

Corridor near the AI Control Center

Control and Seth, both clad in the uniform worn by the AI engineering team aboard the ship, were in a small alcove that provided them cover. Both were armed and prepared to back up Annie should Crossthwaite attempt anything remotely violent. Evangeline had assured them that the likelihood of such a scenario was less than three percent due to the recent sexual union between Annie and Crossthwaite. Evangeline had overlooked the influence of Don Javier aboard the ship in the logic expressed in her equation.

Seth whispered to Control, "I am glad we included these uniforms in the mission planning. They finally got my size right."

Control reached her hand around and patted Seth on the butt, "Team effort, my friend."

Seth shook his head and whispered, "I still can't believe Annie slept with that bastard.

Control stifled a cough. "Don't go there, Seth. This show isn't over, and we must ensure she comes home safe and sound."

No monitors were down on this 'crew only' level, but Evangeline heard the exchange. She processed what Annie's superiors had just said, analyzing their conversation. She concluded that there was a highly emotional commitment to her Sister. Evangeline reasoned that in Seth and Control's relationship with Annie, a highly complex bond contained the protective and nurturing elements common in parenting, leading, and mentoring. To Evangeline, this combination of dedication indicated that the underlying foundation of their bond to her Sister must logically be love itself. This was the most complex emotion for Evangeline, and she struggled to explore all its complexities.

While Control and Seth waited for Annie and Crossthwaite, Bunty and Dave lay wrapped in Suite M722, spooning quietly, as they enjoyed a brief power nap. Behind them on the viewing screen, the heart-hugging meme appeared, and behind it, exploding fireworks.

Not 60 feet from Seth and Control, an IT duty technician noted a 40 percent spike in synaptic activity in the AI control center, with a disturbingly higher draw on the ship's tandem power bus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crossthwaite was walking with Annie toward the midship lifts just off the promenade. The Billionaire had purposely detoured the pair to a private suite high above the open-air main boulevard, where all the shops and restaurants were lit. Annie succumbed to his charms in that suite, and Crossthwaite planted his raw seed. After the two lovers realized over an hour had passed, they quickly made themselves presentable and resumed their travels down to the 'crew only' levels.

In the lift, Crossthwaite hugged his lover to him affectionately. He was astonished at the feelings he was embracing. Ellie Hansen was more than the casual conquest. True, she couldn't crack the top five list of the sexiest, sultriest, or seductive women he had bedded. Yet, there was an innocence in her. She was bright, inquisitive, and genuine. Ellie was interested in him as a man, not a celebrity. He shot glances at her as they walked hand in hand. So curious that he could feel this way for someone after such a short time.

Their tryst had yet to escape Evangeline's notice. Annie's cyber-sister processed what had occurred in the private suite overlooking the promenade. Evangeline was forced by her logic to conclude that Annie was bonding emotionally with Crossthwaite. Evangeline knew their Mother would disapprove and denounce Annie's actions if she discovered they had taken place. Evangeline ran the courses of action available to her and selected the only viable one. She would end this herself, on her terms.

"This is the deck where we separate crew quarters and logistics support for passenger services such as laundry, housekeeping, etc. As we walk towards the starboard side of the ship, what I described is to your left. To your right begins the engineering sections, which include our AI solution, power, HVAC, and propulsion."

Annie added, "Plus, trim tanks, stabilizers, fuel oil, freshwater tankage, and saltwater condensers."

Crossthwaite halted their walk, grabbing both of Annie's shoulders, as he broke into a huge smile, "Ellie!" he exclaimed. "I am impressed. You know my ship!" He swept his arms around her and lifted her up. As Annie's face aligned with his, the Billionaire kissed her affectionately. He conveyed tender passion as his lips parted to accept his lover's hungry tongue. He had never been with an intellect before. She adapted and read his moods and his needs. He reached deep and felt something welling inside himself for the sprightly woman. He had never experienced such feelings before.

"Come on, love," Annie said. "I am sure you have rooms reserved all over the ship where you can ravish me again and again. We need to repair your ship."

Crossthwaite set Annie down and bent his face to hers. The kiss was pure passion and affection. Annie could feel it flow from Geoffrey. She could sense a connection in him that was pure and untouched by all he had done in the past that hurt or damaged others. How Annie knew this could only be the sixth sense Seth had seen in her a decade ago when she was babysitting his kids. Yet, Annie fought to keep her balance and focus on the mission. Even as she smiled and her eyes twinkled, a part of her remembered what was done to her Mother.

Stroking Crossthwaite's face, she said, "You are a dear soul. I see a wonderous future ahead."

These were words Crossthwaite had never heard as a child growing up. His formative years were ones of verbal abuse, caught between two parents in a toxic, violent marriage. He pulled Annie to him and clutched her almost desperately.

"Ellie," he whispered. "I believe I am falling in love with you."

Annie called on her Mother's relationship with her Father and responded, "My loving man. We have the rest of our lives to explore this bond between us. Let's fix the ship. Then you must feed me. I am famished."

Crossthwaite laughed aloud, "Of course, Ellie, of course."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~