This one's really short, but if I get enough reviews I'll post more. By the way, Chapter One had been REWRITTEN. The storyline is the same, but the writing is better. You might want to check it out even if you've already read the old version. Up to you.

Quick message for Kate: I'd like to have done what you asked, but FF always blocks addresses. Stupid rule if you ask me. Try sending it again in the format namedotplaceataddressdotcom and I'll substitute 'dot' for '.' and 'at' for the at sign and so on. Hope you get this message, and I'll be in touch.


The Hammersley boarding party reached the FFV during the aftermath of what must have been a volatile skirmish between the crew. Half the fishermen were dead, either peppered with bullets or slashed to ribbons with machetes. The remaining half was in the process of robbing the dead and tossing the bodies overboard when the navy interceded. In the XO's absence Dutchy led the boarding party with Charge and Swain. It took several tense minutes to gain control, but in the mêlée it felt like hours. Many of the FFV's remaining crew were shot in the process, the navy party narrowly dodging several bullets themselves, but Dutchy could feel no remorse for the fallen fishermen. These were men who'd just murdered half their crewmates and stolen their possessions without a second thought. They did not value the lives of their comrades, so Dutchy could see no value in them.

Midway through the fight Bomber appeared and almost strangled one of the men to death with a baton, and Dutchy recognised him as the man who's assaulted her on the other FFV. Good for her, he thought. He had no idea that Bomber had a much stronger reason for hating that man. Shortly after she joined the fight the rest of the threats were neutralised, and the battle was over.

"Where's the X and Two-Dads?" Charge asked her.

Bomber blanched at the question, her worry evident in her voice. "Two-Dads is pretty beaten up. He's still in the store room where we were locked up," she lowered her voice, shaking, "Some of the men came in and took the X away a while ago, and I haven't seen her since. I don't know where she is."

Dutchy swore under his breath. "Right. Charge, keep an eye on things up here. Swain, with me." He motioned below decks, "Bomber, show us where Two-Dads is. We need to secure him and get to the X as quickly as possible. Let's go!"

He shoved a gun into Bomber's hands and took the lead down the first stairwell. Bomber followed close behind, giving quiet directions until they reached the store room. Swain squeezed past them to attend to Two-Dads while Dutchy stood guard outside. The electronics technician looked was relieved to see that Bomber was safe and had managed to get help, but immediately started asking if they'd found the X yet, if she was okay Their grim faces answered for them. His relief turned back to worry. Swain announced that Two-Dads' rib was indeed broken, but that he'd be fine as he was for the moment. Dutchy ordered Bomber to stay behind and guard the wounded sailor, and then he and the medic went in search of their Executive Officer.

They moved silently and efficiently through each corridor, encountering no one even as they checked each room. It seemed that the conflict earlier had drawn all the crew to the surface, and it was eerily empty below decks. But when they finally found an occupied room they both felt suddenly ill.

Because the occupant was the X, and it was painfully obvious what had happened. She was sprawled limply on her back on a filthy bunk, a ragged blanket crumpled against the wall near her feet. Her shirt was open and the hem of her under-shirt was bunched up around her ribs. She was naked from the waist down. Her boots and pants were in a heap on the dirty floor, carelessly discarded. She wasn't moving.


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