Pol paced back and forth anxiously waiting for her mentor and commander to return. A day earlier, NoCGV Andenes (W322) had sailed out of Oslow on a mission. Her orders, stop a conservation vessel carrying a wanted fugitive and either sink her, or take her under tow. Whichever suited.
Andenes had promised she'd call in every hour but it'd been close to 3 now and Pol had yet to hear a word from her. She was beginning to worry. Had something happened to her?
She got her answer soon enough when Andenes sailed into Oslow with a pronounced limp. A blood trail was left in her wake from a serious wound on her port side on her weakest point.
"ANDENES!" Pol cried, rushing forward.
Andenes, eyes sunken into her face and lips bloodied, gazed up at her apprentice. She leaned gratefully against Pol's offered side.
"What happened?!" Pol demanded.
"R-rammed." Andenes rasped. "That conservation ship, rammed me..." Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell unconscious.
"Andenes? Andenes?!" Pol cried, nudging her mentor repeatedly to rouse her. All to no avail.
Andenes was sent to the medical berths and Pol was forced to wait outside, dredging the harbor as she frantically paced back and forth. She was scheduled to take the evening patrol that night but managed to get Senja to take it for her. Andenes' estranged sister was quite happy to put more distance between them.
It was a good 6 or 7 hours before a hospital ship emerged, granting Pol permission to see Andenes.
Pol's mentor looked awful. Gauze and bandages were wrapped underneath a brace that went around her entire midsection. Probably meant to support her broken ribs. A pair of IV's dripped a sugar-water solution and a blood transfusion respectively. Her eyes were closed, breathing rapid and shallow and a breathing mask covered her mouth to help her.
Anger rose up within Pol. A morbid thought to be sure, but she hoped the ship who did this was in a lot worse condition. "I'm never leaving you again." She whispered and she lowered her head to nuzzle the other ships near still flank.
...
To Andenes it was all fog but that fog gradually began to clear. As it did she became aware of a sharp pain in her side."Broken ribs." She thought with a grimace. She became increasingly aware of a presence beside her and a familiar scent filled her nostrils as she breathed in deep, feeling the weight of a breathing mask on her face.
She shifted a bit to let her apprentice know she was awake.
"Andenes." The relief in Pol's voice was instantly recognizable but so was the exhaustion.
Cracking an eye open, Andenes regarded her apprentice, concern in her gaze. Pol merely shrugged it off. She hadn't slept a wink since Andenes first arrived here 3 days ago, true. But that hardly mattered. In that time Andenes had been in a critical condition. She was only just now improving.
Pol brushed her lips over the top of Andenes' head and Andenes leaned into it with a purr.
"You had me worried." There was no note of accusation or anger in Pol's tone, merely concern.
Andenes wished she could speak but the damn breathing mask wouldn't let her. It was becoming quite uncomfortable too. Reaching up with a wire, the big ship tried to pull it off but a gentle touch stopped her.
"No, Andenes." Pol said gently, as though she was telling off an inexperienced cadet. "You need that. You can't breathe well on your own right now."
Andenes gave one whine of protest but gave no other resistance. She knew her apprentice was right. Now that she was awake she fixed Pol with a stern, motherly look. "Rest." Her look said. She needn't even try to use words. Pol knew exactly what she was trying to say.
Sighing, the exhausted icebreaker gave in and curling up at her mentor's side she went right to sleep. Andenes rested her head over her as she always did and she could feel Pol's tense muscles relax for the first time in three days.
Andenes had time to think now. And she thought carefully about the events that had transpired to bring her here. She knew Forever's rudder was jammed thanks to a prop fouler she'd dropped earlier. It'd missed the big ships' props but snagged her rudder instead, locking it in place. Forgetting this in the heat of the moment, Andenes made a critical error, expecting the other ship to turn away as she'd done previously. Too late she remembered why Forever couldn't turn and now Andenes had the broken ribs and cracked hull frame to show off for her mistake.
"Of all the things." She grumbled to herself. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!"
Not only did she encounter a collision with another ship, she did so in international waters where said ship had right of passage. She knew this but her captain refused to listen to her. Now she's was paying the price.
"I hope the bastard gets grilled." She thought nastily. "I hope he gets demoted. If I ever see him again it'll be too soon. Serves the son of a bitch right for getting me into this mess!" ...
"I taught her that." Andenes thought smugly. And she most certainly did too. Andenes was notorious for her backdoor scoldings to young cadets. Every newcomer knows not to cross her if they do bad. "Now they'll know not to cross Pol too."Andenes smirked to herself.
Seeing her apprentice approach her, the big ship straightened, ignoring how her ribs creaked their protest at her action."Shut up!" She thought to them.
"Well done. It appears I've taught you well though grilling the brass is a far cry from grilling cadets." Andenes said.
"Not so much. You just need to use stronger words is all. Then they're no different than anyone else." Pol replied.
Both ships shared a laugh at that.
"I'll admit you scared even me and I was no where near you." Andenes said.
Pol ducked her head, a bit sheepish. Andenes nuzzled her. "Nothing to be ashamed off. I'm impressed."
This gave Pol more confidence and she licked Andenes' muzzle, leaning into her gently as she was careful to mind her weight against the healing ship. "You gave me quite the scare you know." She murmured.
"Part of the job description. We all risk our lives for our country." Andenes said.
"Was that really what you were doing though?" Pol asked and Andenes sighed. For a long time Pol had been a "secret admirer" of Forever's human owners, Sea Shepherd. Andenes had always pretended she didn't know about it but when Whales Forever, heading straight for Oslow, mysteriously turned away just outside of Norway's territorial waters, Andenes had a feeling she knew why. Pol had tipped her off. Before, Andenes would've just let it slide but this time something had to be done. Though she understood and sympathized even with her apprentice, she was required to deliver a sentence anyway. No one said how light or hard that sentence had to be though.
"Of course I was." Andenes replied. "Pol, recent events have made me take a new perspective on things. I would've been killed and if I was, the only ship with a rank high enough to take command would be Senja and she's no fit for it. As my apprentice, you should be next in line so I'm giving you a promotion to 1st lieutenant."
Pol's eyes brightened considerably. That was a double promotion, something that one did not expect to get unless they died.
Andenes however, wasn't finished. "However, there is a catch. I'm also sentencing you to 1 week community service for violation of communication and intel protocols."
Pol's eyes widened as she realized just what her mentor meant. Andenes' eyes twinkled. "You thought I didn't know? I've always known, Pol. Even had to cover for you on multiple occasions. I know it seems unfair but by law I couldn't let this one slide without some sentence." She said.
Pol wasn't angry though, she grinned hugely. 1 week community service was the lightest sentence one could give in a situation like this. Andenes did what she did because she had to, not because she wanted to. Despite nearly being killed because, in part, of Pol's breach of protocol, she secretly agreed with her apprentice's choice in sides. Still though, she found it difficult to believe that the hippie hater would want anything to do with promoting a conservation group.
"You've been, helping me." She whispered.
Andenes winked. "I'm not the hippie hater everyone thinks I am. As long as no one gets hurt but also as long as something gets done about those poaching bastards, I'll help in whatever way I can and politely look the other way when incidents occur."
"But you were rammed! Thought not intentional, a ship with a thick ice-class hull like Whales Forever could've sunk you!" Pol cried.
"Aye, but that was neither her nor my fault. As much as Whales' crew would enjoy claiming they wrecked me, they like I, have to concede that one to my captain. Arrogant bastard." Andenes sniffed. It took all Pol's willpower to keep from laughing.
"So?" She asked. "Secret spy buddies?"
Andenes rolled her eyes, giving her apprentice a rare, genuine smile. "Secret spy buddies." She promised.
...
20 YEARS LATER, OPERATION GRINDSTOP 2014
Andenes made a slow turn to port almost lazily as she circled around for the umpteenth time outside the small inlet. Her job was to protect this area from any conservation vessel that happened inside. But what the Faroese and the Norwegian Navy didn't know was that said conservation vessels had already been tipped off about her whereabouts and her intentions if they dared enter this inlet, by Andenes herself. For 20 years, Andenes had been secretly feeding information about various topics to Sea Shepherd, ranging from warship locations and possible confrontations to poacher fleet whereabouts. No one, not even Sea Shepherd, knew who their long lasting Norwegian insider was. No one except Pol of course.
Her former apprentice had finally gotten what she wanted, and landed a job as the deputy of the Sea Shepherd fleet. MY Steve Irwin, formally, FPV Westra, was a good teacher though Pol had little to learn about handling bad guys. She'd trained for it after all. The only thing she needed to relearn was to aim to injure the ship, and not kill. Andenes was more proud of her than she was allowed to say. The navy didn't exactly smile upon fraternizing, especially between one of their warships and a group that was number 1 on their list of environmental nuisances. A badge which, Andenes thought with a smug grin, Pol and the others wore with honor. If they were annoying the government, they were doing their job. They weren't exactly sent out to be liked by people now were they.
Andenes grimaced as her ribs groaned as she made another turn. Her old injury had never really healed properly and it acted up from time to time, particularly when she maneuvering. The icy wind blowing off the bluffs did not help either. In fact her whole body often protested to the cold weather. At 32 years, she was beginning to feel her age as the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis began to take root. Her joints often flared up and she had to get a special ointment to keep the swelling down.
Her radio crackled on a private channel and Andenes tipped her head to one side in mild curiosity as she answered.
"This is MY Bob Barker, MY Bob Barker calling NoCVG Andenes, NoCVG Andenes. Over."
Andenes smiled to herself as she recognized her apprentices' voice, deeper than it used to be as her vocal chords adapted to her age and various hull designs. "Well this is a pleasant surprise Pol." She said.
"Wish it was as pleasant as the news I have to give you." Pol grumbled.
A raised brow was the only outward indication Andenes would give of her concern. "What's happened?" She asked. "What can I do." Was the question that was left unasked, but understood all the same.
"Westra's been impounded in Scotland and that just leaves Brigitte to patrol the islands." Barker growled.
Andenes had met Brigitte before. The little trimaran was lucky to be alive to say the least. She grated on the old ships' nerves like no other. Andenes wondered just how Pol put up with her.
She sighed. "I don't know how much sway I have here but I'll do my best to get her free, Barker. I promise you that." She said.
"Understood. Same Ailis as always?" Pol asked and Andenes nodded. Though she didn't answer verbally, Pol got the message. Andenes had learned that whenever she was helping Sea Shepherd, she used her fake name to get such help through. This time, it was a transfer of USD $10,000 to Sea Shepherd's account in the Netherlands. It was only a 10th of the amount Westra needed but every little bit counted and if the flagship had only a month before she'd be seized and sold at auction, Andenes knew that time was of the essence.
"I owe you." Pol began.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's a donation." Andenes chuckled and she could practically hear Pol's silent protests.
Eventually she said "I still wish you'd consider joining us."
"Though I'm barely half your age Pol, a ship with psoriatic arthritis wouldn't be of much use for much other than tropical campaigns and from what I understand, you need every ship you can get against those Japs down south." Andenes replied.
Pol sighed. "I know but..." She broke off, uncertain but Andenes understood.
"I'm happy to help in what ways I can. After all, someone has to play man on the inside." She said.
"True enough." Pol said. "Can I at least tell Westra the truth. After all these years you deserve some recognition."
"Recognition would get me killed, Pol. You know this." The gray ship rolled her eyes. "You can spread the word all you want when I'm dead."
Pol snorted. "Stubborn old mule." She grumbled.
"And you're as insistent as ever." Andenes shot back. "I'm fine where I am Pol, don't worry."
Pol, knowing she wasn't going to win this one, admitted defeat. "Call me if you hear anything." She ordered.
Andenes, trying and failing to hide a smile, answered "If I hear anything about anything from the brass, you'll be the first to know." She promised.
"I'll let you know if I hear something about Westra first. And if there's extra money left over, we'll put it to good use. Come to think of it I'm running low on replacement engine parts." Pol mused.
Andenes resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Did you blow a main?" She asked.
"No but I came close." Pol replied.
Andenes could practically see her now, lips pursed and green eyes narrowed in thought as she always had when she lied. But the warship decided to let this one slide, once.
"Just be careful out there. Be safe, be good, ah what am I saying. You're a big girl now. You should know the drill by now." Andenes laughed.
"True, I should. But if I did I wouldn't make a living out of ramming ships now would I?" Pol replied and both laughed at this.
"Hey the same goes for you. Keep your head down, and if anybody asks..."
Andenes cut her off. "I didn't see anything."
"You didn't see anything." Pol confirmed. Andenes could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I love you."
There was silence for a moment before Andenes' reply came through, so quiet Pol could barely make out the words but she could still make them out. "I love you too."
Then the line went dead.
Andenes turned her gaze to the cliffs, eyes narrowing as she saw the familiar fleet of boats make its way down the narrow inland, the telltale splashes of a pilot whale herd seen just ahead of them. Stifling a growl, Andenes opened a private commlink as her crew took over her engine plant and made her turn in the direction of the action, prepping her to act as a protection for the whalers.
"Brigitte, there's a hunt about to begin now. In a small inlet just west of Sandavagur..."
