Chapter One;
A Beachcombers Nightmare

William James Webb was tall. Too tall. His toes, now frostbitten from the stinging winter cold, stuck out from under the covers. As he awoke from his pleasant slumber and dreams, all the while with the distinct feeling he'd dreamt something great, he couldn't feel his feet. Not a good sign. Pushing the covers back he checked they were still there. His inventory for the day always started this way:
Toes not frostbitten, check.
Sunshine, check.
The distinct sound of seagulls, check.
Hey, it was going to be a good day!
Shoving himself out of bed he pushed himself towards the bathroom, the last of his dream hanging around him still. It was weird, but the sea outside seemed to be a strange and constant reminder of that dream, and he had the feeling he wouldn't simply lose it by going down to the beach and soaking up the sunshine like he did every other day he had off. The sea was still calling him, he'd never lose that, but amongst it was a voice he hadn't heard in a while. A voice that had once cut through him like ice, now warmed his soul, and rearranged the beat of his heart like a good bass beat. He turned the hot water down a little in an attempt to shake it out of his mind, but when it didn't go and he started to feel he was under threat of hyperthermia, he got out of the shower. Beach, sun, mates. Get her voice out of his head.

Down here the sea was much choppier than the usual still waters that they'd get in the north, and Rebecca Jane Brown had already managed to hit her head on her top bunk many times while sitting there. So, having given up working on her bed, she'd decided it was time to utilise her desk. With one big movement of her arm, and a box underneath, she pushed all the piles of crap sitting on it (mainly clothes) into the box and dumped it on the bed. She'd work on it later. There was paperwork to do now. Lots of it. One of the joys of ranking up. More paperwork, more responsibility, more idiot Seamen who wanted you to take the blame for everything they stuffed up.
There were two in particular that made her cringe but also shake her head at the same time. Seamen Ryan 'Dishpig' Entwhistle and Emily 'Dee' Wong made life hard for her with their constant bickering and fighting. And while Ryan was an awesome cook and a real help in her galley, and Emily their Cryptologic Systems Sailor, their feud made them almost unbearable. It didn't help that they were on her boarding party. She wanted to chuck them off the RHIBs most times, but her senior Petty Officer Gregory 'Jack' Sprat said that wouldn't be her best move if she was looking for that Petty Officer position. Not that she would, but she'd threatened them with it at least once.
She actually liked watching them fight, like watching a train wreck, as twisted as that was. They reminded her a little of someone a long time ago. Someone that, since her ship the HMAS Parramatta had acquired these waring recruits, had been on her mind more and more.

"Will!" A voice called from the water's edge. William glanced down from the horizon to see two blokes waving to him from the beach. So, walking across the path and down the stairs, Will stepped out onto the sand. He gave them a grin and, throwing down his towel and thongs lazily, walked up to them. The two blokes were a lot more tanned than he, professional beachcombers they called themselves but really they were lazy surfer types who had managed to find working girlfriends and could spend all day on the beach. Will called them lucky. But then he had the best job in the world, even if his current position was as dull as could be, and wouldn't change it for anything.
"Where were you two yesterday? I was down here with Rache." Will asked, glancing more so at the taller one.
He grinned. "Down here with Rachel eh? Maybe good we weren't here." He joked, giving Will a pair of raised eyebrows.
Will frowned at him. "Phil, you know it's not like that."
The shorter one snorted. "Not according to her. Thinks she's got you in for the long haul."
Will glanced at him. "I only have shore posting for another three weeks and then I'm off, back to the seas with my Leading Seaman position. What will she do then Tom?"
Tom shrugged. "Not my problem mate, she's only my sister."
Will frowned again. "Nice family dynamics." He commented. Tom snorted again, a common reaction for Tom who had failed Year 9 English and spoke about as well as a foreigner. But most people passed him off as a dumb beachie. He'd been a Clovelly local his entire life. Phil, himself a Tamarama local, was a little more educated but nonetheless about as witty as a Charlie Brown comic. Together they had only half the brain cells of Tom's twin sister Rachel who was studying at Sydney University to be a Veterinarian. Will only knew them through her and only knew her through luck. She was a good friend, but nothing else, and he thought she'd known that. He looked at the ground, a little confused, but then passed it off as a Tom comment and not worth the words he used to say it. Granted, Rachel was brilliant and gorgeous. She was 5'9, blonde and a little geeky with glasses, but sweet and beachy. She could surf substantially better than Will could. She'd also been the one to call him Will the first time, saying that his usual nickname of Billy may have worked in the 'burbs or the bush, but on the beach it would get you nowhere. Of course, everyone just called her Rache.
Will cast Rachel from his mind. Maybe he'd say something to her, cos he was back to work tomorrow and may not see her until his next break. She worked odd hours, seeing as she was at uni all day, and he was at base all day most days. He didn't want to go back to sea with Rachel thinking he'd run off and rejected her. He valued their friendship. Plus there was another girl on his mind right now. A little shorter than Rachel and a brunette. But unlike Rachel she had no reason to be there. Why, all of a sudden, could he think of nothing else but her?

"What's the date?" Ryan asked, glancing up at Rebecca as she stirred a stew.
Rebecca laughed. "You don't know what day it is?"
Ryan frowned at her. "I know what day it is, it's Thursday. I mean the date."
Rebecca shook her head. "June 17th 2011." She added the year for good measure.
He rolled his eyes. "Thanks Bomber." He returned with a condescending tone. "So helpful."
Bomber laughed. "You got the date. Just had to make sure you knew what year it was, seeing as you're so lost." She smirked. "Oh, by the way, this is the galley on the HMAS Parramatta. ANZAC class, based out of Sydney."
Ryan growled at her. "Now you're just taking the mickey."
Bomber grinned. "Dishpig, all I do is take the mickey." He frowned at her again and she smiled. "Why do you want to know?"
"Oh, just my parents 15th wedding anniversary is coming up." Bomber knew she must've looked surprised because he continued. "Shut up, I only remember cos it's a milestone."
Bomber shook her head. "I'm not having a go. It's pleasant surprise. That's really nice Dishpig. Are you getting them anything?"
Dishpig visibly relaxed, looking about ready to jump at her if she said anything nasty. "I don't know yet. We'll have to see next shore leave."
Bomber smiled as she thought about shore leave. "Oh five weeks. How nice is that?" She glanced at him. "Why do you think we're off for five weeks? I mean, I've never had shore leave that long before. They're saying repairs but I don't buy it. Personally I think they're pulling in new sailors. If my position is in jeopardy and no one has told me I will hurt someone." Bomber thought aloud.
Dishpig glanced at her. "They can't move you. You make this ship Bomber."
Bomber laughed. "Nice. Now I feel like a 24-year-old Navy warship." Dishpig shrugged. She growled at him and he smiled. "No, seriously. I know we stuffed up that deal with the pirates last month but you don't think they've planned an overhaul? No one's saying anything, but they aren't likely to tell us anything, are they?"
Dishpig frowned at her. "They're a lot less likely to tell me miss Leading Seaman Brown. I'm just Dishpig the Seaman."
Bomber nodded. "True. Still, would be nice to know if we'd have some new people to deal with. With this my third ship in so many years I'm rather sick of meeting new people. I'd give anything to be back to stability."
Dishpig grinned. "Oh god, you're not gonna start on the famous Hammersley again are you?. Ship's gone, let it go Bomber."
Bomber sighed, lost in thoughts. "Yeah, one day." She awoke and glared at him. "I thought you were peeling potatoes?" She motioned to the small mountain of unpeeled potatoes sitting beside him on the bench top. He grinned and got back to work. Bomber went back to her memories.

A/N; Hope you enjoy this. A little look at what could happen in the future, particularly if the Hammersley were lost. More about the Hammersley later, but for now revel in the awesome sexiness of the Parramatta. She's gorgeous. Hence why she was in Pieces and Chances. I just can't leave her out of anything…