And then, slowly, deliberately, the commanding officer of the USS Halstead brought his right hand up to his brow in a perfect, rigid salute.
The master chief behind him instantly snapped to attention and rendered a salute of equal precision. Commander Morgan followed, her face pale with embarrassment and reverence.
The entire mess deck gasped, a collective exhalation of shock. Sailors froze mid-bite. Blake's notebook slipped from his hand and clattered to the deck.
Thomas Brennan, the elderly man who was supposed to be flipping burgers, returned the salute.
His motion was slow, a little stiff in the shoulder, but the angle and precision were flawless. Muscle memory carved by decades.
Captain Morrison held the salute until Thomas dropped his hand.
Then the captain spoke, his voice deep and carefully measured, addressing Thomas, but loud enough for every soul in the compartment to hear.
"Navigator," he said, using what sounded less like a nickname and more like a title of reverence. "Sir, I apologize that we failed to properly welcome you aboard. This ship is honored by your presence. Is everything to your satisfaction?"
Thomas offered a small, tired smile. "The coffee's a little weak, Captain, but the crew's in good spirits. Thank you."
Morrison turned, his expression transforming instantly from respectful courtesy to cold, directed fury, aimed squarely at Lieutenant Blake.
"Lieutenant Blake, do you know who this man is?"
Blake swallowed hard, his face ashen. "Sir, the civilian contractor, Thomas Brennan. He volunteers."
Commander Morgan stepped forward, unable to contain her professional horror.
"Not volunteers, Lieutenant. Not just volunteers. This is Captain Thomas Brennan, United States Navy, retired. But that rank barely scratches the surface of who he is."
She gestured toward Thomas.
"This man, Lieutenant, has a service record that is required reading at the Naval War College. He enlisted in 1957. He served three tours in the Western Pacific during the height of the Cold War. He specialized in navigation and logistics under impossible conditions. And his career reached its zenith during the Cuban Missile Crisis, in October 1962."