Jiggs called a while ago and urged me to consider
some new computers for both NIMR offices and for Seaview that NCIS has had some success with.
In fact, he stressed that the data from trial runs indicate that this
new super computer system is ‘so sophisticated that if installed, could
practically run NIMR and Seaview all by itself.’
Lee, of
course, who was listening with me on the speaker phone , just turned tail shaking his head and left me to converse with my old friend
in private.
It’s not that Lee doesn’t appreciate
technology. In fact we’ve often had clashes over which advice he should consider if mere mind power isn’t enough
to figure something out , mine, or the computer’s. Nine times out of ten, the microchips win and I spend the rest of
the cruise with my tail between my legs in my cabin.
When I explained to Jiggs those very words
were given to us about Restin’s super computer and the disastrous results we’d had, he countered with the fact
that it wasn’t really the computer’s fault. It wasn’t responsible for an
enemy power planting a man aboard whose sole aim was to sabotage Seaview and
kill Lee, then return both of them to us having
obtained the computer’s secrets.
I had to promise Jiggs that I’d think
about it. Perhaps Chip’s friend McGee can give us a bit more info on this new whatchamacallit system. No doubt should
we test it out, I’ll insist on more than person aboard. Safety in numbers against stowaways up to no good. And if something
should fail, at least one of their own experts nearby to fix it.
I found Lee later, aboard Seaview (where else),
broody, moody, and brushing his hand across one bulkhead after another, not to mention petting them. Nobody’s been able
to figure out if he regards her more as a pet or a wife. He really needs to get out more.
In fact, now that Edith’s left for Boston, I think I’ll ask the boys out to the baseball game tonight .
Nothing like hot dogs and mustard (or Ketchup if you’re Chip), and a couple of hours of hyped up yelling and screaming
for your favorite team to win to dampen the stress of the day. If that doesn’t take his mind off of computers I don’t
know what will.
