Beautiful. Just beautiful. SS-28 painted on the bow. I froze, entranced. Chuck laughed. "You look like a kid on Christmas morning." he said, with a few chuckles mixed in. I ignored him. "Come on, let's board her and take a look. Of course, if you want, you can just look?" Chuck said.

"Hell no. She mine and I'm looking in her if I want." I said. Chuck grinned. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

We walked toward where she was docked. Walking down the bridge used to board the ship, I admired her. Stepped aboard her with a metallic clank. We checked the deck gun. "Fires a three inch shell from a rifled barrel. Deadly accuracy. One of the best ones I've seen yet." Chuck said. Coming up well above head height, even on Chuck, it was a big gun. Not the biggest, but not small either. "Can go up to 45 degrees, allowing for max range, and can hit up to several kilometers." He said again.

We walked towards the center, where the tower was. We got on top, checking all the equipment. "Periscope, communications, radar, most of that is right up here.

Opening the hatch on the deck of the ship, we descended into the ship. We walked into the bow, or the front of the ship. Four torpedoe tubes, two port, two starboard. 18 inch torpedoes. Capable of blowing a hole in the side of a freighter big enough for you and me to crawl in. Holds another 8 in reserve. 12 shots. If you ever get the chance, make them count. They are expensive." Chuck informed me, rather unnecessarily.

"You realize the chances if finding another ship are almost none? There's a big ocean out there, it'll be hard to find anything, much less another ship. The chances of finding anything are almost nonexistent." I told him. He nodded. "Just making sure." He said.

We moved farther back, into the different rooms. "Radar, sonar, radio" he said tapping on the assorted doors. He moved along.

"Here's the relax area," he said stopping and turning. There were 4 small tables, barely big enough for 4 people per table. Just barely managing 2 people per side. They had boards on them, checker boards for both chess and checkers, and backgammon as well. I chuckled. "Those'll be useful." I said.

He turned to the other side. "Kitchen" he said. Very small had probably enough room for 4 men. Moved to the next area. Clank, clank, clunk. I looked down. I had stepped on a trapdoor. "Food storage" he said, noticing my view point. "That will hold a few weeks of rations. Any other food will be put in any open spot, and will be freed up as time passes and meals are cooked."

I looked in the hatch. What I saw amazed me. Bunks, four or five high, with less than a foot of space between them. Tiny little things. About 15 of them.

Turning to the other side, and noticed several medium sized metal doors. I looked at Chuck questionably. "Storage compartments" he replied. I'd noticed them in several spots throughout the ship so far.

Then I found the officers area. Four bunks, very open, with lockers. I turned around and froze. The officer kitchen was a nightmare. I walked in. My shoulders rubbed both sides it was so narrow. I wasnt fond of small spaces. Never have been. I know, I know, why work on a submarine when I'm claustrophobic. I have no idea. It's what I wanted to do. I turned toward Chuck. He knew what I was thinking. "I know. It's tiny. I'd hate it to." He said.

"Come on, there's more." I followed. I looked up, finding the ladder up to the tower. Small. Again. Bother.

Next room was the heart of the sub. Periscope, controls, everything. Moved on to the stern, or the back. Engines. Big ones. Diesel engines are big. Turning, I walked the path and found the electric motor. Gigantic, but would be very quiet, which was required.

Finally, reached the end of the ship and turned around to go up and exit the sub. "Report here tomorrow at 0800 to start drills with it. You'll get a list of your crew as you leave. What do you think?" He asked. I thought about all I'd just seen and came up with one reply. "She's beautiful" I replied. He smiled. Thought so. Let's go get your list shall we?