[ WP ] End a story with `` Look at me . Look at me . I 'm the captain now . ''

The sea spray from the bow of the ship was as cold as an arctic mermaid's blood. The shivers from the biting wind started deep in my soul, as if God Almighty were shaking my bones. 
 
 I blew into my hands. It was a desperate act to warm my nose more than my hands. The gloves on my hands did n't rise a single degree with my breath, but the warmed air blew back toward my nose, giving is a bastion of warmth for a few seconds. 
 
 `` Chief, new contact, a surface ship,'bout zero-three-zero Starboard of the bow. Radar has her at about 7,000 yards. Analyzing her course and speed. Designating contact Romeo 1.'' 
 
 The Contact Manager was one of our most junior officers. He was a bright kid, but over zealous. He'd make a great peacetime officer, but his first taste of the enemy's gun fire - which my pessimism was betting this contact was going to be - would break him like a rock breaking a window. `` Sir, recommend you wake the Captain. He'll want to be on the bridge for this. I ca n't see Romeo 1 due to low visibility. Visibility 1000 yards or less,'' I radioed back to him. 
 
 A few minutes later the general alarm rang through the ship followed by an excited and moderately terrified voice of `` Battlestaions! Battlestations! All men to the ready! Load all forward batteries, rear batteries standby to move munitions. Clear all center passageways for gun team movements. Battlestations! Battlestations!'' 
 
 Pretty good. The kid remembered all the parts. Our ship had taken some hits before we pulled into Pearl a few days ago. The rear guns took the brunt of the damage. 
 
 We did n't have time to refit completely so we only had one rear barrel that functioned and the aim was questionable. She was shooting left, but the Captain did n't want to figure out how much and instead opted to use it as a last resort. `` Keep the bow pointed toward the enemy, zig-zag your approach, and fire forward guns as fast as possible, exchanging gun crews as needed, and keep the forward magazine fed by running the rear gunners forward.'' Those were the Captain's orders and our new officer remembered. 
 
 The new officer was a replacement for the one we lost. The one we'd lost was running across the stern deck when a shell hit. He disappeared over the side, likely dead before he hit the water. He was a good guy, and smart as a devil too. 
 
 Through the freezing mist and the fog that clung upon the ocean I saw the faint flashes that looked like red and orange lightning. I instinctively ducked, grabbing the mic and shouting, `` Brace for im -- -'' before I could finish the roar of shells tearing through steel and water sent streaks of light through the air. The burning embers scarred the space around my ship with black streaks. 
 
 In almost instant reaction five of the six forward guns rang out their response. A bellowing thunder that would've made Thor jealous erupted from the bow, shaking the smoking ship. A few seconds later Gun 4, the one that had n't fired, gave it's own acknowledgement. That was the most junior gun crew. They were probably a little stunned by that first hit. 
 
 `` Sir, I saw the gun fire,'' I started through the mic. `` Romeo 1 bears 020 and ca n't be outside 6,000 yards.'' 
 
 `` Roger, Chief.'' The junior officer was remaining much more level headed than I expected. Either that or the Captain was puppeting him and the poor kid was just repeating whatever the Captain said. 
 
 Another volley from the enemy ship was preceded by the red flashes desaturated by the heavy fog. They must've been shooting blind, using only the radar to judge our distance and course. 
 
 These three shells flew overhead and landed about 300 yards on far. But the first volley I swore I counted six from the enemy. Then I saw the flashes again. I heard the rumble of the first few shots they'd fired just after I saw the flashes... 14 seconds between shot and sound... they're 2.8 miles... `` Sir, range is -- - `` 
 
 I must've blacked out for a few seconds. The next thing I remember was seeing the front end of the ship covered in flames and driving into the ocean. The bow was destroyed and the engines were pushing the whole ship into the sea. 
 
 Another alarm. This one was one I thought I'd never hear. Men started crawling out of the engulfed forward gun turrets. Gun 4 caught my attention. The hatch was blown off and black smoke billowed from it. I saw a silhouette approach the hatch. I realized it was one of the men. He fell at the hatch and I watched in a shocked apathy as the fire on his legs quickly climbed to his back and arms. His body flailed for a few seconds and then he stopped. The fire continued consuming him like a lion. 
 
 I heard a screeching coming from the air. A large splash, 10 yards away from the stern. Then another explosion rocked the boat. Flames engulfed the sea, then a secondary explosion. I was thrown off the bridge wing. I fell the thirty-odd feet to the ocean where the coldness brought me out of my disbelief. 
 
 `` Shit, I'm going to drown. I'm going to fucking drown or die of hypothermia.'' I quickly began to make peace and a warming comfort knowing it would all be over soon began to soothe me. 
 
 Then something grabbed me. I looked up and it was our junior officer grabbing me. He had managed to get to an inflatable raft. He pulled me up. 
 
 `` Th-Th-Thank Y-Y-Youu, S-S-S-S-S-Sirrr.'' I was shivering in a way I'd never known. The biting cold was quickly making my legs numb and I was having difficulty moving my limbs. 
 
 `` Chief, you're gon na be okay! Look at me, chief, you're gon na be fine.'' 
 
 `` B-B-But, Sir, th-the ship-p-p... sh-she-she's g-gone.'' 
 
 `` Chief, I think you and me are the only ones that made it. That last shell hit the aft magazines. The ship broke in two. I jumped from the same bridge wing you fell off. This raft fell in after I did.'' 
 
 I was beginning to drift off now. The good Lord was calling me home and I was n't in the mood to stick around in this ice cold hell. `` Chief!'' I could hear my junior officer yelling. He sounded so far away. `` Chief, dammit! Chief, you will stay with me! You hear me!'' My eyes began to close. Paradise was a few seconds away. Rest, warmth, and my home... `` Chief, you do what I say! look at me! LOOK AT ME! I'm the Captain now!''
