Weekend Write-In Story Collection

Manoeuvres

In 500 words, imagine what happens when a character receives unclear instructions. Written for the Weekend Write-In prompt "Instructions", 8-10 January 2016.

A true story from my Navy days.

Ship Handling

David snuggled in his grandpa's lap. "Time for another story."

Grandpa ran his fingers lightly through the blonde curls. "What topic this time, Sweetheart?

"One we've not done for a while. Let's see... We've done climbing, flying, sailing, car racing, coins, wine importing, women... We haven't done Navy for several days. Tell me another Navy story."

"Have ever I told you about Officer-of-the-Watch Manoeuvres?"

"Not by that name." He shook his head. "What's it?"

Grandpa stroked his beard and thought a moment. "Where do I start...?"

"You always know where to start, Grandpa. Your stories always make so much sense."

"I need you as my editor... Okay... Navy ships frequently travel together in groups. This is called in company. There are standard formations, common ones being Line Ahead and Line Abreast. " He looked into David's eyes. "Can you picture these?"

"Yeah... One's following each other, the other's side-by-side... Right?"

"Very good, Lad." He stroked his beard again. "Always one ship is designated as Guide. All the other ships keep station on it."

"Keep station?"

"Adjusting ship's course and speed to maintaining correct distance and bearing from the Guide. This is one of the first exercises in ship-handling for the junior officers. We use it to hone their skills... These are Officer-of-the-Watch Manoeuvres."

"Like playing follow the leader?"

"Very much, but it's playing with hundred-million-dollar ships and the lives of over two hundred crew members aboard each one."

"Like playing for real?"

"No, real's only during enemy engagements... This is just really serious play."

"Like for keeps."

"Yes." He nodded his head. "In training junior officers, it's easy to see early on who's going to make it and who's going to wash-out."

"Wash-out, like you told me about some during flying training?"

"The same. Remember, Sweetheart, the Queen isn't going to trust the care, control and command of her ships to incompetent people. Our role in training was to ensure those we passed were the ones most likely to excel even in the most severe circumstances. We push very hard, hoping they won't break, but culling them if they do."

"Culling... Like throwing away the bad ones?"

"Not throwing them away... Redirecting them to administrative fields."

"So... How do you push them?"

"Those are the manoeuvres I'm talking about. We change formations from line to square or diamond or an arc. All are standard formations and each ship has a designated station to head toward. The student has three minutes to interpret the signal, determine the new position, do relative-velocity calculations to see how to get there while avoiding colliding with the other ships. Immediately the Execute command is received, the student must act."

"Like musical chairs?"

"Somewhat... The most confused junior officer I've ever seen just stood staring ahead. The captain pointed and said, "Go over there"

The trembling officer walked toward the starboard side of the bridge. The captain shouted: "Take the effing ship with you."

"Effing... That's for that word Grandma doesn't like, isn't it?"

"Very expressive sometimes."