Under The Sea

NB: This story was inspired by recent news that females could serve on board submarines in certain major navies. While the ranks here may suggest a certain country's navy, everything is fiction and countries are not named.

"...we therefore should increase our forward presence in the..." Lieutenant Lauren Gooden nearly banged her head down on the keyboard in boredom. This was the umpteenth time she was tasked to write a policy paper, something she did not expect to do after serve six years in the Navy. Out of the six, only four were on board ships, and they were small patrol craft. Then the powers to be decided that a girl like her would be better off writing documents on shore as "missiles and torpedoes are meant for the guys." "Don't worry," her ex-Commanding Officer (CO) told her, "You'll get your next stripe faster that way." Yeah, she thought, a sailor on the beach. I might as well have joined the Air Force.

"Ahem...." a voice suddenly interrupted. Lauren looked up to see Chief Petty Officer Kevin Oates, her branch senior enlisted head and also her secretary. "Excuse me, but the Admiral would like to see you...ma'am," he added the last word slowly. Oates was a sailor from the old school who also clung on to the view that females should be far away from ships as possible. Even so, he was a loyal and diligent sailor.

"Ok Oates, I’ll report to the Admiral - and please shine your shoes a bit more," Lauren said, pulling rank back on him. Seeing the Admiral was not a nice sign, and Lauren had a feeling it was a re-appointment to another dreary post. “If so, I'm resigning my commission,” she thought. But what would her father and extended family say, all who had served in this navy?  She stopped outside the door and knocked, entering when a voice commanded “Come!”

"Gooden, close the door. Sit down, sit down. Tea?" Rear Admiral Bryan Jenkins, a veteran of the navy said. Lauren did so, surprised at this offer since junior officers usually stood and the Admiral was the type for old tradition and discipline. "Thank you sir, but I'm fine.  You ordered me to come?”

"As you know, this navy has progressed much in recent years. It's tradition..." the Admiral droned one for a minute or so and Lauren just stared at him, waiting for....

"Equality is a key factor that we hope to achieve. As you know, we've just commissioned our first Invisible-class hunter-killer submarine. Gooden, how would you like to be back at sea again?"

"Back at sea, Sir?"

"Lieutenant Gooden," the Admiral cleared his throat and opened the folder on his desk. "You are hereby appointed as the first female sailor--officer on board a submarine, breaking the tradition of  men-only. You'll be the next navigation officer, provided you pass the training."

"Oh my gosh..." Lauren exclaimed with much excitement. This is incredible!

"Blame in on the politicians. You'll be facing a fan fare of media queries and publicity, people chatting about you and a whole range of things. But it will also be a real step forward for you and the whole service,"   The Admiral paused before he leaned forward. "Lauren, it'll be said to have you leave this office. But I'm sure you'll make a fine submariner. Who knows, soon you may be on your way to be an XO or even a CO."

"Thank you very much sir!" she responded with the most enthusiasm she had since she signed on. Pocketing her new orders, she drew to attention and saluted her boss (or ex-boss) and nearly banged into CPO Oates outside.

"Congratulations on your new posting, Lieutenant," he barked and thrust an enormous bouquet into her arms, along with a large card. The remaining staff in the room burst out into to a standing ovation. Red-faced, Lauren asked, CPO, how did..."

"It wasn't a Top Secret knowledge ma'am. You'll definitely be missed. I mean, what will I do without an officer like you?"

"Well Oates, this is the first time you've given me flowers. You do know how to flatter a girl after all," Lauren said, returning his jibe. "I'll miss you too."

Lauren thus was thrown into a frenzy of activity for the next six months. On top of her navigation training, she was literally harassed by the media day and night as they branded her as the new poster person for gender equality in the military. Despite the hounding of the press, Lauren passed her Submarine training with ease and was really yearning to get out to sea. It was around a week before her ship was about to sail when received a call from a number that had hardly dialled her in years.

"Hey beauty, how's it going," the high pitched voice on the line said.

"Cathy! How are you?" Lauren exclaimed, tucking her mobile against her shoulder and cheek as she used her free hands to pack her stuff.

"Hey Lieutenant, or should I say submariner, congrats. It's been ages. Heard you were sailing soon - want to catch up before you head 20,000 Leagues under the sea?"

"Anything for my best friend. I'm full this week but can catch you the night before I report in. Our old hangout?"

So the evening before she was to report to her new base, Lauren parked her car at the Old Shades, the pub she used to hang out during her school days. Inside, she saw Catherine Galpin, her friend since nursery school, dressed in an all black: tube top, tight leathery skirt and black tights. The old friends embraced. Lauren and Cathy lived next to each other, went to the same schools together and even look almost similar in height and build so much that many mistook the two as twins.

"So, congrats darling on getting the post of all postings," her friend purred. "Buy you a drink?"

"Non-alcoholic beer and thanks," Lauren said crossing her legs on the bar stool. She was dressed smartly in her naval uniform, light blue blouse, dark jacket with ribbons, skirt and blue tights.

"Aw," Cathy said as she came with the glass. "Silly Navy regs. When you're back, we ought to fill you up."

"Well, you know the service." Cathy had enlisted in the Navy with Lauren and made it to officer's school. However, due to a fight with cadets, she was thrown out of OCS and the military.

"Cheers," the girls clicked glasses and chatted. Five minutes in, Lauren felt a sharp headache arising. "Ah," she said and got up, heading to the ladies. "Aw, something wrong?" was the last words she heard as she drifted into unconsciousness.

The next feeling was a burning sensation across her face. Then suddenly, a cracking sound awoke the Naval officer. "Welcome back to the world. Attention on deck!" Lauren's eyes were blurred as she heard what sounded like her own voice. What of earth? Her vision cleared and she literally came face to face with what looked like her own face!

"Ah........whoo...what...."

"Hi, this is Lieutenant Gooden reporting. Yes sir, the new navigator," the face in front of her said. Then, the next voice revealed the true person in front of her. "Aw, Gooden, you should know better than to let others spike your drink."

"Huh..Cathy? Is that....what?" Lauren attempted to move but found herself tied to a metallic chair, zip ties around her arms and legs, she saw as she looked down. Not only that, but her whole uniform was removed and she was simply wrapped in a coarse bathing towel. The same face in front of her was wearing her uniform and had the face and tied up hair as her. What....

"It's always you Lauren. You were the better one in school, academically, socially and sports. I was always in second place. When we were in OCS, I thought we could be even. Then the silly fight occurred which wasn't even my fault. You did nothing to support me as your friend as I was hung out to dry. No more."

"Cathy, how...release me at once!"

"Silly girl, you are in no place to make demands. Don't you remember I took Chemistry at school? I've learnt about beauty and design after the Navy threw me out and so a bit of magic work here and there and I've got your face. And your voice," she returned to mimic Lauren's accent. "I was the lead actress in the drama club, remember?"

"You're going to impersonate me?" Lauren tried to shift the chair but found it stuck to the ground. "You can't. The base has..."

"Fingerprint Identification systems?" Cathy aka Lauren 2 thrust her right hand in front of Lauren. "See any similarity to your fingers? The wonders of science. You should have taken that subject instead of IR."

"Cathy, this is silly let me....ah!!!!!!!!!!!" her nose was pinched hard, causing her to open her mouth. Something cotton-like was immediately jammed into the restrained officer's mouth and her taste buds sensed the taste of soap and sourness.

"Mmmm....", Lauren cried and next felt an ultra-adhesive sensation as duct tape sealed it in.

"Your own knickers," Cathy aka Lauren 2 said and Lauren nearly choked. "I needed all your clothes but definitely wouldn't wear your undies. As you probably can taste, I've washed it though not so clean as you wish. Still."

"Farewell, old friend or should I not use that word. Oh, if you think i can't be a navigator, just you wait. Submarine operation is not a secret. Come on, Tom Clancy and others have written so much about it."

"MMMpppphh!!!!!!!"

"Scream, no one will hear you. Well, my pet snake will. Say hello to Frank," Cathy aka Lauren 2 pulled out a 2 meter long snake out of nowhere. "He's a nice fellow but has a nasty bite. Especially of people he hasn't met yet. If you're unlucky, you'll feel a pain worse that those physical exercises we had at OCS." With that, Cathy aka Lauren 2 left, disappearing in the shadows.

"Mmmmhhh! Heppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lauren cried, both from the anger of what her friend had done and the sight of the snake slowly slithering up her towel-clad stomach. This can't be happening, she thought....

"Hello!! Anyone there! Lieutenant Gooden? Hello!!!" The sudden new voices broke the silence and Lauren yelped frantically through her panty gag. This however, caused the snake to slid even faster up, across her B cup breasts and....

"Lieutenant!" CPO Oates figure suddenly appeared along with three other men which she recognised as Navy police. "Oh," he said, he face turning red at the sight of the almost naked officer. "Oh..." he repeated, see the snake.”Hold on," reversing his pistol, he struck the snake hard, also hitting Lauren's shoulder in the process. That did knock the animal off. "Let me get that," he said and reached around her head, working on the tape. Several minute later, it came free and he turn embarrassingly red again as he pulled out her underwear. "Never mind!" she yelled. "Contact the naval base at once!

Somewhere under the ocean...

"Gooden, what's our course?" Commander Ryan Ramsey asked his new female navigator.

"Uh, one two four sir," Cathy aka Lauren 2 replied hesitantly. Being on a submarine, she was dressed in the service all blue blouse and trousers. Having snatched Lauren's they were a little tight but still fitted her.

"You've got to be more confident Gooden. I know you're new and well special, but forget all that. Now plot us a course that takes us near but not so near the Red Force battle group."

"Aye, Sir," she said, fumbling with the charts and tools. Act natural, she reminded herself but suddenly dropped something on the floor.

"Gooden! That can cause a sound for the enemy's sonar to hear! I thought they said you got top marks in that course!"

Back at Naval HQ..

"No...no...This is really Lieutenant Gooden!" CPO Oates exclaimed to the guards at the gate. Clad hurriedly in a large trench coat, Lauren and Oates were at the Submarine base. Given its recent commissioning and new technology, the base was on high alert all the time. And the guards had already checked a Lieutenant Gooden through...

Back under the sea...

"Man Battle Stations Torpedo!" The announcement came. Minute later, the control room was filled with twice the number of personnel.

"Sonar, conn, report contacts," Command Ramsey asked.

A voice came through, but it wasn't want he wanted. "Conn, radio, sir, a message came through, marked urgent."

"Radio, conn, we're on exercise now. it can wait," Ramsey replied, irritated. Across the room, Cathy aka Lauren 2 pondered over that. Could it be a warning about her?

Receiving his info from sonar, Ramsey starred at the other monitors, failing to notice the only female member around twitching left and right.

"Conn, radio, sir, another message. It's marked urgent."

"Radio, conn, silence we're about to start." Scanning the room, he ordered, "Gooden, take..." Lauren had already made her move. "Gooden, where are you..." suddenly the voice came again, "Conn radio, message Single word: IMPOSTER"

Lauren had already reached the button she targeted and pushed. Suddenly the sub began to slide as the ballast tanks emptied themselves. Klaxons wailed and men and loose equipment flew around, literally. "SHIT!" came from all around. Suddenly, a hand came and pressed the button, stabilising the ship. Cathy aka Lauren 2 was about to get up when the CO's hand reached towards her and grabbed her hair. "I knew you were trouble..."

Naval HQ, the next morning...

"Well that was a stroke of luck," the Submarine Squadron Captain said, reading the report from the Invisible.

"All thanks to Oates quick thinking," Admiral Jenkins remarked. The Admiral and driven over to the base. He, the Captain, Lauren (the real Lauren) and CPO Oates were gathered. "If he hadn’t noticed Lieutenant Gooden's car and the strange vehicle driving off, we wouldn't have known.

"It was nothing Sir," Oates replied.

"It was, Chief, lest I be lying in a hospital or worse," Lauren remarked. With no new clothes, she was dressed in an oversized male's uniform which Oates had found.

"Well, anyway, the fake Gooden is being flown back. Invisible will have to make repairs due to what she did with that sudden surface blow so you can get to your proper posting  soon," the Captain remarked.

"She should get some leave after what's happen," Admiral Jenkins argued...

Epilogue:

Cathy Galpin was marched down the prison hallway, hands cuffed behind her back, legs chained. "There you go," the female warden said, opening her cell. Inside was a girl of same hair colour. "Meet Martha," the other warden said. Once they were locked up, the two girls embraced. "Oh cousin, good to see you," Cathy said.

"And you. That was a daring move. But now you are here."

"Well if you have want I want, it won't be for long," Cathy replied, smiling devilishly.

***

Lauren opened the door and smiled at the man standing there. "Well, right on time," she said, accepting the light kiss on her lips.

"Never keep a girl waiting," he replied and escorted her out her door. He was in a tuxedo while she was in a light blue tube top dress that revealed her breasts much.

"Well ma'am, you look just..."

"The way you found me then? No rank to night, Warrant Officer, well, you earned it yourself. Tonight."

"Right, ma...Lauren," Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Oates said, kissing her again. Always like a girl who doesn't pull rank.

The End.

If you want to read a non-tied up sequel check out http://mandysstories.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/an-officer-and-a-gentleman/

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