In Another Time and Place…
Part 4:
In The Line of Fire
Rebecca was seated in the Senior Sailor's Mess with two of the younger members of her group when the call came over the pipe. A boarding party was being called for a foreign fishing vessel on the starboard beam. Glancing at the other two, who didn't seem the least bit interested in what the Navy were up to, she left the room and headed for the bridge where Kowalski stood with the Hammersley CO. "Sir?"
Kowalski turned and gave her a nod. "Corporal. Lieutenant Commander Flynn here requested a break from steaming to Timor to take down these fishermen. Apparently they've been giving the Hammersley the run about for a while now."
Rebecca gave Kowalski a look that simply said 'and you let him?' as Flynn smiled. "We don't often get Army men that actually let us do our job while they're onboard." He gave Kowalski a smile then looked back out to sea. Rebecca lowered an eyebrow at her senior, but he missed the look and returned his gaze to the FFV too, looking rather proud of himself. Rebecca shook her head. Whatever had happened to her Warrant Officer wouldn't last, but it was interesting to watch anyway.
"K, cool." Shaking her head slowly Rebecca stepped out onto the bridge deck where the X, a slightly bossy but rather friendly woman named Kate McGregor, stood watching the RHIB head towards the FFV. She glanced at Rebecca with a small smile then returned her gaze to the boat. As Rebecca watched, the crew of the RHIB jumped aboard, the large figure of Buffer the most prominent amongst the motley crew. She failed to keep her eyes off him as she watched him kick the feet of a fisherman with a machete out from under him and cuff him on the deck. It was very impressive. As the other four in the RHIB got to work, a large thin fisherman appeared at the bow of the ship and pulled out a rifle. Within a second Rebecca realised he wasn't aiming for the RHIB at all – he'd seen the women on the bridge deck. Rebecca grabbed the X, who hadn't seen the man, and pulled her down to the ground as he started firing. After a minute she raised her head as the firing stopped, just in time to see the last of Buffer's crash-tackle as he brought the fisherman to the ground and restrained him. She stood slowly, giving the X a hand, as she watched him, mesmerised by his ability. For so long she'd had drilled into her that the Army were tougher, faster and stronger. There was no doubting the rivalry between the arms in the ADF, even if it was a friendly one. But now she doubted it. There was no way anyone could be tougher, stronger, smarter or faster than Buffer. She smiled a little at the thought of telling anyone else about this.
"Good reflexes Corporal." Rebecca glanced up to see the X assessing her, and just gave the Navy woman a nod. "And thank you."
"No problems ma'am." Then, with one last glance towards the FFV, Rebecca turned and went back inside.