Chapter 2

Back on the bridge, Dutchy, 2Dads and Bird couldn't work out what had just happened. "Sorry boys, but have I missed something here?" Dutchy asked

"I think I'm missing the same thing." 2Dads added

"And me makes three." Added Bird, all three of them looking at Swain and Charge. Swain and Charged tried waving them off, but the three un-informed sailors knew something was up.

"RO, you're being pretty quiet over there," stated 2Dads. He knew RO would know what was going on, he always did, he just never said anything. RO was having none of it, and wasn't about to gossip about his CO.

"I know everything – Hammersley has been tasked to call into Reminiscent Wharf to pick up some soldiers then return to port." That just worked 2Dads up even more, he hated feeling left out.

"You know RO, I reckon you could suck the fun out of sucking the helium out of balloons." Everyone just turned to look at 2Dads trying to figure out what he had just said. He shrugged, looked at Dutchy and said "It sounded better in my head."

Dutchy just shook his head and turned his attention back to Swain and Charge. "Come on boys, what's going on?"

Charge and Swain looked at each other, and Charge asked, "Are you three telling us that you never heard the story about the Boss and the SAS Captain?" Bird, 2Dads and Dutchy just looked confused and shook their heads. Charge leaned in and whispered as though he was telling them a state secret "The Boss and Captain Roth from the SAS were seeing each other." Charge stood up and looked quite proud of himself. The three of them looked just as confused, then shocked, and weren't sure what question to ask first. Bird's eye's had opened right up, because let's face it; most girls love a good gossip. 2Dads was starting to look as though he finally had something to hold over Kate, while Dutchy started to look a lot more serious.

When no-one spoke, all the questions came from Bird, and all at once "Are you serious? When was this? How long were they together? Were they serious? How did they meet? How did they break up? Was it mutual? Does Commander Flynn know?..."

She was about to continue when Charge stopped her "Slow down there Bird, actually..." now it was his turn to look confused and turned to Swain "actually, we don't really know that much. It was about 18 months ago wasn't it Swain?"

"We were in Samaru, so yeah, about 2 years" Swain responded "But I think they were already together when his SAS troop and Hammersley started working together. Don't really know how serious they were, serious enough that Kate didn't hide it from any of us. I mean she didn't seem all that bothered that we all knew what was going on, and we all saw them together a fair bit. Don't know how or why they broke up either – but that happened just after Flynn got hurt rescuing him didn't it Charge?" Swain explained as he turned to Charge to see if he could fill in any of the blanks.

"I think so, we didn't see him any more after that anyway." Charge added in. Dutchy then asked about how and why Mike got hurt, Charge was about to explain the incident in Samaru before Bird spoke up again.

"Wait, are you telling me you know nothing more the Boss and this Captain guy?" Charge and Swain shrugged and said that was pretty much all they knew – they were blokes and apart from the knowledge that their XO was together with an Army Captain, what did they really care. That was enough for Bird "Honestly, men are useless." She threw her arms in the air and left the bridge to return to the galley. As she left Charge and Swain continued to fill Dutchy and 2Dads in on the incident in Samaru and what had happened to Mike while he was rescuing Jim Roth.

Returning to the Galley, Bird found Kate eating her breakfast and knew she had to say something, "It's safe for you to go back up there, I think they are over it now. And you don't need to worry, you're lucky they are all boys, it means they pretty much know no details, and were more keen to talk about how Mike..I mean..Commander Flynn got hurt rescuing him." Bird continued and started to babble when Kate didn't say anything "Ma'am, I know I'm younger than you, and, well, I have been known to talk a fair bit, but I can listen too if ever you did want to talk. I mean you have helped me out before and girls have got to stick together..."

"Bird" Kate said loudly and interrupting her "It's ok..really. I'd better be heading back up there; we can't be too far away now." Kate then placed her bowl in the sink and headed out of the galley. As Kate reached the bridge, she could hear the others talking and paused for a minute to hear what they were saying. 2Dads was fired up, and Dutchy was just as angry while Swain was trying to calm them both down.

"I mean, after all the crap she gave me last year about that crocodile, and then Bomber, and it turns out she was with a guy that nearly got half the team blown up, and the next guy she is with is her CO. Its crap!" 2Dads continued ranting but Dutchy cut him off.

"Listen mate, the Boss is the only reason you still have a job after both the crocodile incident and Bomber. As for the explosion, that was the work of mercenaries – a shore party would have had to go in there no matter who it was. When it comes to her relations ship with Flynn, neither of them were dumb enough to try anything while they were both on the same ship!" Kate couldn't see it, but Dutchy was standing over 2Dads and starting to get quite aggressive. That's when Swain spoke up.

"Come on boys. The one thing we all know for sure, is the Boss has always got our back. She would never abandon us, and 2Dads, do you seriously think the bosses at Navcom would give her a promotion if there was even a suggestion that she was in a relationship with her CO? Now, can I suggest we all return to our duties?" It may have only been a suggestion, but no-one was going to argue.

None of them knew Kate over-heard the entire exchange. She had to stop herself from running in and throttling 2Dads when he was going off, but was immensely proud of Dutchy and Swain, not only for sticking up for her, but they way they did it. When she first came onto Hammersley, she had never imagined staying there, or forming the bonds with the crew that she had. She made a mental note to do something good for them later, but for now, it was time to come out of hiding.

As she opened the door, everything was quite and the crew were all going about their jobs. "Are we still on course for Reminiscent Wharf Dutchy?"

"Yes Ma'am, ETA 20 minutes." Dutchy replied.

"Very good. Let's make this pit stop and head home." She smiled as she spoke and looked at Dutchy while he smiled back and nodded.

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