Chapter 2
"Keep your hands where I can see them! This is the Australian navy." yelled Dutchy who was leading the boarding party.
"Looks like they have secured the vessel." said Buffer to Nav. Both of them were observing the boarding through binoculars.
"Yes Sir, I can see Spider and Ryan throw the catch back overboard," said Nav.
"Bomber!" yelled Bird from bellow deck. Bomber run there and saw what made Bird to yell. There was a boy really skinny and probably hungry. He was also scared just repeating "James."
"Hey honey I am Rebecca. I am a medic. I will help you. Who is James?" Bomber asked scared to touch him.
"My brother." he said and fainted.
"I need help here." Bomber said. Swain run down.
"What is going on Bomber?" Swain asked.
"He fainted. His pulse is weak. I am losing him. Help me to stabilise him till we don't bring him on ship." Bomber said desperate to save kid's life.
Swain nodded and went up to contact CO.
"Sir, kid is in really bad stage. He is probably starving last couple days. He is scared for his baby brother. His chances are not good even if we brings him on ship. Over." Swain said over radio. He heard Buffer's sigh. Buffer liked kids and none of children in world didn't deserve this.
"Bring him on board Swain. Maybe we can help him somehow here on ship. I will say RO to contact Navy doctor." Buffer said over radio. Swain nodded like Buffer was standing in front of him and returned down to Bomber.
"Swain, his pulse is getting weaker and weaker by every minute." Bomber said feeling like she was on end of her power.
Dutchy and Swain lifted the boy into the RHIB as if he was made of paper.
"He is so little and thin." said Dutchy. "I am sure he is going to make it." he added as Bird looked at him with tears in her eyes. As soon as they came onboard Hammersley, Dutchy carried the boy to austere, where Swain started the treatment right away. Both Nav and Bomber where in the room with him to help if they could. Dutchy returned to the FFV to help search for little James. Nav found a packet of Plumpinut.
"When he wakes up, we can give him this really rich peanut paste." she said. "This is how the humanitarians treat malnourishment." she explained when she saw Bomber's face look like a big question mark. Swain did his best first aid for a while under the guidance of the fleet medic Dr Poulos. Bomber had fetched a couple of blankets to keep the boy warm.
"Come on come on." said Swain anxiously. Then all of a sudden the boy opened his eyes. "I think he is going to make it," said Swain with relief. Carefully he started to feed the boy little spoonfuls of Plumpinut. He looked a little dazed and confused in the beginning, but the nourishment gave him a bit of colour in his cheeks.
"Where is James?" he asked again.
"Was he on the boat together with you?" asked Nav.
"Yes." nodded the boy.
"They are looking for him." said Nav and smiled at him. "I'm Nikki. What's your name?" she asked. "Charlie," said the boy.
"At least Nav is not grumpy today." Bomber murmured looking into boy who was chatting with Nav.
"Bomber don't. Next time you won't just pass with confronting with pissed CO." Swain said looking into Bomber who sighed.
"Maybe you are right." Bomber said and went on deck where were standing Buffer and Charge looking on search party on old FFV, who was looking for a James. Suddenly, someone went out from bellow deck. He was carrying James threatening he will throw kid in water. James was in bad condition same as Charlie. Dutchy was trying to calm guy but he failed. He throw James over board in water. Without thinking, Bomber jumped in water to look for a 5-6 years old kid.
"BOMBER!" yelled Buffer. "Damn. Charge take a RHIB and went down to be a back up for her." he added
Bomber got hold of the little boy. Then Charge sent her a lifebuoy. Bomber grabbed the buoy with one hand while she clutched James to her with the other. Charge dragged them both back to the RHIB, then he lifted the little boy onboard and helped Bomber climb into the RHIB. Then he drove the boat back to Hammersley and gave the baby to Swain, who had just come out on deck.
"Well done Bomber! That was a selfless and brave act." said Buffer with a nod. "Now go have a warm shower so you don't get sick." he added.
"Yes Sir," said Bomber and smiled at him, happy for the rare praise.
Mike"Nice job Bomber." Bird said with smile too.
"Thanks Bird." Bomber said. "Honestly I thought it will be last thing what I will do in the my Navy career. And for surprise I get nice done." Bomber added with smile.
"Well he can't kick you out of ship for something what you have done as he did couple years ago." Bird said while walking behind Bomber.
"You are right. He jumped in water full of mines. I just jumped to save little boy." Bomber said with grin and went into her cabin to take a shower.
Later, after she take a shower, Bomber returned back into galley where Bird was preparing a dinner.
"How is your leg Birdie?" Bomber asked.
"It is fine. Hurt little bit but it will be fine." Bird answered and looked into Bomber who take a carrot from her and sit on contour. "Just stop asking me that. You, Swain, Dutchy..." she added and her face become little bit red when she mentioned Dutchy. Bomber grinned.
"Why are you blushing when you mentioning Dutchy?" Bomber asked teasing her.
"I am not blushing..." Bird started to explain but then smiled. "Better question is why are you so happy all of sudden? Wait to I guess. Reason is CO." Bird added back with grin.
"How do you mean that?" Bomber asked and looked into Bird.
"Well every time when he says to you well done or good job or he smiles to you or something like that you are all happy and you look like you are flying." Bird said and laughed.
"I am definitely not looking like that. Of course I am happy if I get good job when I do it and that is all." Bomber said but blushed little bit.
"Do you like him?" Bird asked knowing Bomber will pissed.
"What? Like who?" Bomber asked and jumped up from counter.
"You know who." Bird said.
"You are crazy." Bomber said walking towards exit.
"Am I? And you didn't answer on my question." Bird said laughing. Bomber turned to say something then she give up and almost hit CO on doors while going out.
"Sorry sir." she murmured and went towards wardroom to check on boys.
"Good job today, Bird. How is your leg?" asked Buffer and smiled at Bird.
"Good thanks, Sir." she said politely. Buffer laughed.
"And I bet you are more than a little bit fed up with that question." he said.
"Um, yes Sir, I'm fit for duty again, so it is a bit annoying that everyone keeps asking." answered Bird. Then she laughed too. "That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the support, Sir." she added quickly. "Do you want a bickie, by the way? I made them fresh this morning," said Bird and held out a plate full of cookies.
"Oh yes, thank you, who can say no to such delicious smelling bickies?" said Buffer. "You will be very popular if you bring these to the bridge for sure. I believe they are Dutchy's favourites." he added with a cheeky wink before he returned to the bridge.
Bird sighed frustrated and returned to dinner preparations.
Bomber went in wardroom.
"How are they Swain?" Bomber asked and looked into two boys laying in beds.
"They are ok. They will be ok. With lot of care." Swain said and stretched when he raised up tired from sitting in chair.
"Swain go and take a dinner and rest. I will stay with them till it don't get a time to go for a watch." Bomber said with smile. Wardroom was safe bet for her since lot of stupid things she has done that day. And she still had to pull first night watch with grumpy CO. Swain nodded and went out of wardroom. Bomber stayed there in wardroom till 1000 pm and then she went on her watch. She went on bridge and sit for a helm. Bridge was empty. So much for professional due to work from CO. Bomber sighed frustrated.
"He is professional my ass." Bomber murmured not knowing Buffer came on bridge and was standing right by her side.
"It was less than one minute and RO is in the comms end, but yes, please feel free to call me unprofessional. Though I don't quite see the need to involve your body parts into this." joked Buffer. Bomber looked like she had fell if the moon - both because Buffer actually had made a joke instead of yelling at her and because she seemed to be getting away with at least three offences in one day.
"Sorry Sir, I was just writing an email to ET." said Nav as she came running back to the bridge.
"You might want to mention your body part again." said Buffer and winked at Bomber, who blushed. Nav lifted an eyebrow cheekily at Bomber.
"Okay Nav, thanks for joining us. It is not ideal that the bridge is left empty." said Buffer. "So, did ET have something exciting to report on." he asked casually and sat down next to Nav.
"He is being amazing and has sorted all the wedding invitations." said Nav and smiled happily. "And sorry, Sir. I didn't realise that the bridge would be empty, but I was desperate to use my allotted email slot. You know what RO is like." said Nav with a smile.
"When we are talking about RO, you should to talk with him sir." Bomber said.
"I do?" Buffer asked.
"Yes." Bomber said.
"None offense but I don't want to deal with him more than I do now." Buffer said and then looked into Nav. "Swain is in wardroom. Please go and help him around boys, you connected with them so it will be much easier." he added.
"Yes sir." Nav said and nodded. She went out slamming door behind her.
"Don't need to wake up all ship Nav." Buffer murmured and shock his head and looked into Bomber who was watching on sea horizon like her life was depending of it. Bomber knew she screw up again. And she has never felt so embarrassed. Spider was trouble idiot? Not at all. She was getting his first position.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: here is second chapter. I hope you all liked it. I would like to know your predictions so review and let me know your depinion.
Thanks for reading