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nox, captain of the Drum?"

Cynthia Chenowith gave him her hand and said she was glad to meet him.

Her hand was the first female hand Lennox had touched in a year, and it was warm and soft, and he unkindly wondered who was privileged to jump Miss Chenowith.

"Miss Chenowith is connected with Continental Studios," CINCPAC said.

"And I'm sure you recognize Lieutenant Greg Hammer?"

"Yes, of course," Lennox said, shaking the movie star's hand.

"And this is Captain Whittaker, of the Air Corps," CINCPAC said.

"How are you. Commander?" Whittaker said, and gave Lennox his hand.

Lennox couldn't remember having seen Whittaker in a movie, but then he had never paid all that much attention to Hollywood pretty boys. At least Whittaker had gone to flight school; there were aviator's wings, if no ribbons, on his blouse.

"You may have wondered, Commander," CINCPAC said, making his little joke, "why I have called this meeting."

Lennox laughed, dutifully.

"Yes, Sir," he said, "I have."

"Continental Studios," CINCPAC said, "has decided to make a motion picture documentary of a submarine patrol. The Navy has promised its full cooperation, and, after consulting with Admiral Keene, I have selected the Drum to participate."

"I don't quite understand, Sir," Lennox said. He didn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Captain Whittaker and Lieutenant Hammer will be sailing with you, Lennox.

Plus a Navy enlisted photographer's assistant."

"On patrol, Sir?" Lennox asked, incredulously.

"As I understand the way it will work," CINCPAC said, "Greg Hammer will serve as narrator, Captain Whittaker will function as director producer and the white hat will operate the camera."

If you open your mouth and say one word, Lennox, it will run away with you and you will tell CINCPAC, COMSUBFORPAC, and the pretty lady with the gorgeous breasts precisely what you think of the dumbest fucking idea you have ever heard of.

"Yes, Sir," Commander Lennox said.

And then, in desperation, he thought of something that just might keep them from putting this idiotic idea into practice.

"I presume that you gentlemen and the sailor have gone through the school at New London?

"Lennox asked.

"No," Captain Whittaker said.

"We thought about it, but we couldn't find time in the schedule."

"Sir, may I respectfully suggest that poses a pretty severe problem?"

Lennox said.

"We have no way of knowing if these gentlemen can take the atmospheric pressures of the boat."

"We checked with the fleet surgeon about that, Lennox," COMSUBFORPAC said.

"He feels that, after examining their last physical examinations, there is no reason they will have trouble."