The Enemy Below Page #3

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We will breakfast early,

and go to battle stations at 0530.

Don't be surprised if we tangle

with a pig-boat a little after dawn.

Do your jobs efficiently and we'll

chalk one up for the Haynes. That's all.

I reckon we'll just drop an egg

right down his periscope.

That'll be the end

of one more Nazi, huh?

Or he'll just pop a fish right in our guts,

and that'll be the end of this tin can.

- Man, a sub ain't no match for us.

- They ain't?

Then how come they hunt U-boats

with three destroyers

workin' together

up in the North Atlantic?

Yeah. How come?

Your bet.

- Whose watch is next?

- Lieutenant Kunz, Herr Kapitn.

Have him come here.

Lieutenant Kunz, report forward.

You wanted me, Herr Kapitn?

Ja, Kunz.

Yours is the next watch on topside.

We have a signal on the FMB.

I think it's a false echo.

But to check its reaction, you will

zigzag twice an hour until daybreak.

If it moves in closer,

you will awaken me immediately.

Schwaffer.

Come in, Heini.

That Kunz annoys me.

Remind him that we do not salute at sea.

He is new, Herr Kapitn.

He will tire of it.

He is new?

Like our new Germany. A machine.

Herr Kapitn. You think we are wise

in risking that image to be a false echo?

Wise? Expedient.

Time is important, Heini,

and we would travel

too slowly underwater.

In 48 hours, we rendezvous

with Raider M.

We take the captured British code book

and we go home with it.

And this is the important thing.

Not the code book,

but because, when we have it,

we can go home.

Tastes like oil and bilge

and green mold.

Sit down, Heini.

Tastes like a U-boat.

I've been in the U-boats

too long, Heini.

There was a time when

I went to sea with a fresh heart.

That was many years ago.

Now I can only think of going home.

- You want more?

- No more, Herr Kapitn.

You think I take too much?

Just enough to sleep.

I cannot rest without it.

I think too much.

Never think, Heini.

Be a good warrior and never think.

You pay a penalty for thinking.

You cannot rest.

I taught these sons of mine

to be good warriors.

Country. Duty. Ask no question.

One is at the bottom of the sea,

and this one is a cinder

in a burned airplane.

And I'm glad.

That's the way for warriors to die.

Young, and with faith.

I have lived too long.

- We are friends, Heini?

- I have been with you since I was a cadet.

That's not what I asked you.

I do not know.

Sometimes I am afraid of you.

Many times I do not understand you.

- I am not certain we are friends.

- We are friends. Believe that.

We are friends. Because we are friends,

I'll tell you something.

I am sick of this war.

It's not a good war.

You don't remember the first one.

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