STEAM ASHORE

Extended Summary:After a steamy night in a foreign port during shore leave Buffer and a fellow crew start a relationship. But problems arise when Buffer's new found girlfriend is in danger following a confrontation aboard what seemed like a normal FFV.

Chapter One: FORENOON DOG WATCH

HMAS HAMMERSLEY BRIDGE

"So how long is shore leave, X?" Spider asked as Charge and 2Dads rolled their eyes and sighed.
"Did you even listen to the message, Spi?" Bomber asked, laughing at 2Dads's exasperated face. He shook his head. "No. 2Dads and Charge were teaching me poker again." Spider replied, glancing at 2Dads and Charge.
"What?" Bomber groaned. "You told me you'd tell me when we were going to give him another lesson." The X laughed as she sat in the captain's chair and pulled out her folder full of paperwork.
"It's for two days starting today, Spider." The X replied as she started filling in paperwork. "Think you can manage that?" She asked. The crew laughed.
"ETA to Port?" He asked.
"What is with all the questions today?" The X asked. He shrugged.
"I'm excited. You know that girl I was talking to the other day at the pub?" The X nodded. "Well she's going to meet me tonight." Bomber, 2Dads, Charge and Nav started clapping. Spider frowned as 2Dads slapped him on the back.
"You finally got a girl to agree to meet with you? Congratulations Spider!" Spider just glared at him.
"I think its great news. Say hi to her for us." Nav said, smiling at Spider as she made her way over to the X.
"So what is our ETA to Port?" The X asked.
"About two and a half hours, ma'am." Nav replied, handing the X a form. "Just sign, here and here." She said, pointing. The X signed and glanced at Spider.
"You met this girl yet?" The X whispered. They glanced at the guys teasing Spider.
"Yeah, you've seen her before. She arrived and they went to a club remember? We had a drink together while the others convinced Spider to have another shot." Nav replied. The X grinned.
"Oh, yeah. I remember! That was her?" Nav nodded. "She nice?"
"Seemed nice. She works on a fishing boat I think. She seems to think Spider is like a cute little puppy." Nav replied. The X laughed.
"Well he can be like a puppy sometimes." She said. They laughed. "Thanks Nav." Nav nodded.
"He'll be ok. He's a big boy." She said, before leaving the bridge.
"Ma'am." Buffer said, suddenly at the X's side. She looked up.
"Something wrong Buff?" The X asked. Buffer shook his head.
"No. We just had plans to go to this pub 2Dads has heard about before and we wondered if you were coming. Everyone's in but Spi cause of his, um, previous plans." The X smirked.
"Wait. You said this was a pub 2Dads had heard of?" The X asked. Buffer nodded. "I'm out then." She grinned. "Nah, I'll come. What's this place called?" She asked. He grinned.
"Hey, 2Dads, what's the place called?"He called out, turning round to face the crew.
"Touchdown or something football related. The owner is obsessed with American football or something." He replied. Charge frowned.
"You never mentioned that." 2Dads glanced at Buffer.
"Is there something I'm missing?" 2Dads asked, looking around the room.
"Yeah. Charge hates American football." Spider said, smirking. The X laughed. 2Dads looked at Charge. "Really? You hate American football?" He asked. Charge nodded.
"Stupid sport. Never understood it. AFL is so much better." He muttered. The crew laughed.
"Never knew you hated American Football." 2Dads murmured. "Really hope you don't meet the owner." The X nodded.
"Well I'm in, as long as you're sure about this place." The X said, placing a report on Charge's desk before making her way back to the captain's chair.
"And there's no American football games playing on TV." Charge muttered under his breath. The X chuckled.
"And no Body Shots or whatever you were talking about last time." Nav said, smiling as she busied herself around the Bridge.
"Still trying to break Charge's record?" 2Dads asked. Nav and the X grinned at each other.
"Yeah. Of course. Why?" She glanced around. "No one else has broken it have they?" She asked. 2Dads shook his head.
"Nah. Just wondering. This could get interesting." He said, rubbing his hands together. The CO laughed as he entered the Bridge.
"Sir." The X said, going to stand up. He gestured for her to stay.
"Anything on radar Nav?" He asked, looking out the windows as Nav looked at the radars.
"No Sir." Nav replied, as she signed something in her folder.
"Thank you Nav." The CO said, pacing around the Bridge.
"Something wrong sir?" Nav asked, as the crew watched him. He looked up, suddenly aware the crew was watching him.
"No. Nothing's wrong."He sighed. "The Kingston found an FFV. There were five mutilated bodies aboard. The boat was ransacked and the fisherman dead. We were told to report any boats on radar and search any boats we come across in the area." He replied. The X frowned.
"Do they have any idea what happened?" She asked. The CO shook his head.
"But it shouldn't hinder our shore leave. So don't worry guys." He said, turning around to the crew. They laughed.
"Coming to the pub tonight boss?" 2Dads asked, grinning. The CO laughed at him.
"Maybe. I do have a lot of paperwork to get through." He replied, as the Nav handed him a few more forms.
"Nav. Stop giving him so much to sign!" 2Dads whined, laughing. Nav laughed at him.
"Well, you could also do it." She said, walking past him on her way out.
"I'll shut up then." He said, as the rest of the crew laughed.
"Hey boss, hear that? 2Dads offered to shut up!" Buffer said, walking over to the CO.
"Yeah I hear." He said. "Could you see if RO knows anymore about the attack on the FFV?" He asked. Buffer nodded, and left to get RO.
"You worried sir?" The XC asked, suddenly by his side.
"Don't know. Hopefully we won't run into them." He replied. She nodded.
"Yes. Hopefully not." He smiled.
"Hey 2Dads, what did you say that pub was called?"

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