Recovery, Rest, Re-purpose

Every member of the Nathan James crew had worked around the clock to repair the damage done to the destroyer. They had first pumped the water from the engineering deck and got the vessel's automatic pumps operational. Now hours later Chandler sat on the sofa in his executive quarters his children laying beside him he remembered the moment the crew had gotten into the corridor finding Crewman Lessings laying face down in the water had been a bad start and taken the ship's losses since the attack to four. Chandler had prepared himself for the worse at least he thought he had... the engineering crewmen had found a leak in the door showing a steady leak from the room opening it Tom Chandler had breathed a sigh of relief when he'd seen his two children being held on the makeshift raft by Kelly Tophet. They were mostly dry and hardly worse for wear for what had happened but it had gotten Chandler thinking about why they were here and what he'd do if he lost them.

There was a knock at the door "Come in" he said glancing down at his children seeing neither of them stirring. Moments later Kelly Tophet entered seeing him she had a small smile on her face seeing him "Kelly" he whispered returning the smile.

"I'm not disturbing you?" She asked hovering at the door

"No it seems they could sleep for a week" he said allowing her to move further into the room. Kelly perched herself on a chair opposite the Commander. "How is Ava?"

"Sleeping she too seems to barely register what has happened." Kelly said glancing down at the deck.

"They don't talk about what they've seen" Chandler said "not just today or yesterday but all through this virus they've seen their life destroyed and people turn on each other, the passing of their mother literally in front of them."

"They still want to be children and to see the best in things they seem to want to tune out of the bad things and concentrate on the good." Kelly said looking at the two children then back at Chandler their eyes meeting.

"Are they here for me?" He asked standing up carefully from the chair moving slowly so not to wake the children beginning to pace as he spoke. "This is a warship its also the source of the cure and the centre for research on the virus. I'm surprised we haven't suffered a serious attack and damage before now taking them, taking you, here was reckless." He said stopping pacing facing the door.

"Tom" Kelly said raising from her chair she rarely used his first name but he couldn't face her, or the guilt he felt for placing them in danger, "We are here because we believe in you and this crew and your mission. They want to see you succeed and so do I" she said as Chandler slowly turned towards her she was a beautiful woman, she was strong and determined so much like his wife. "This is where you need to be and where they want to be" she said "they don't talk about it because they know what this" she said raising her arms showing the room "means to you."

"Captain to CIC, Captain to CIC" a PA message was passed throughout the ship Chandler hadn't realized that his internal phone was off the hook. His eyes lingered on his sleeping children for several seconds.

"Go" Kelly said getting his attention "we'll be here when you come back." She promised him Chandler took a step forward enveloping her in his arms for a moment before stepping away meeting her gaze for a moment before rushing out. Kelly Tophet hovered for several moments crossing her arms hugging herself remembering the moment with the Captain.

Soon after Tom Chandler entered the Combat Information Centre "TAO report" he called out as he entered the room. Recently promoted Lt Kara Foster looked up from her position.

"Sir, we have four unidentified airborne contacts moving in from the same area as the previous strike craft. None have answered our hails and they are approaching weapon range." She reported Chandler glanced at the screens seeing the four incoming aircraft with the Nathan James' engines still not at their best there was no way the destroyer could avoid all the damage from the incoming missiles this time.

"Give me direct contact" Chandler ordered grabbing the microphone clicking the switch "this is the Commanding Officer of United States Navy Warship 151. If you come any closer to our position we will class you as hostile and will engage with all the weapons we have at out disposal." He said clicking off "TAO if they continue on their current vector engage when ready." He ordered Kara nodded turning to her console.

"Spin up four RIM-66 SAM for immediate launch. Open hatches and standby on second salvo" she ordered as the crew moved about their duties preparing the ship for defensive action.

"Sir, surface contact directly ahead and closing!" Ensign Will Mason called out from the Sonar position he had trained as a Communications specialist but following recent casualties he'd moved to sonar.

"Identify?" Kara called back Chandler remained out of the way the CIC was Kara's domain when it came to operations she was new to the job but very capable despite her pregnancy.

"It... Its... It's firing!" Mason stuttered "blossoming four, I count four missiles!"

"All active and passive counter measures!" Kara called out "sound collision alarms!" She called out intent on warning the crew, if four missiles struck the destroyer they were dead. "Get me a track on those missiles!" She ordered a moment later realizing they would have hit by now if they were targeted on the Nathan James.

"Sir, missiles have overshot and are seeking on aerial targets." The crew reported as the missiles overshot the Nathan James and instead flew straight at the four incoming aircraft striking all four before they could unleash their weapons on the two naval vessels "four confirmed kills."

"Nice, very nice, I wonder who we have?" Chandler said "TAO have the five-inch ready for multiple firing at surface targets just in case" he said moving down the corridor rapidly entering the bridge intent on seeing this would be ally for himself.

"Captain on the bridge" a marine shouted out

"Carry on visual ID?" He asked glancing from Commander Slattery, Master Chief Petty Officer Jetter and Lt Granderson as he picked up his own binoculars.

"Out there" Slattery said pointing out to a spec that was closing on them rapidly. As Chandler looked at the ship he could see it was a triangular hull "it's either a Horizon or a Type 45." Chandler said thinking of the silhouette.

"Type 45 most likely given where we are and where we were heading." Slattery suggested looking at the ship searching for any identifying marks.

"Lt Granderson see if we can raise them." Chandler ordered watching them through his binoculars the ship had just saved his without introduction but he wanted to hear it from them before standing down his crew.

"Unidentified Warship this is United Stated Navy vessel 151 off our bow please identify." Alesha Granderson said speaking into the communication microphone as Chandler, Slattery and Jetter all watched for movement on the other ship which was growing every bigger as it closed on the Nathan James.

"This is Royal Navy vessel Delta-3-8 out of the Falkland Islands providing assistance" a very English sounding female voice returned moments later. The crew were almost immediately reminded of a ruse played by Admiral Ruskov when the ship was docked at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. On that occasion Kelly Tophet, who had been a prisoner on-board Ruskov's Warship, had convinced them she was the Captain of the HMS Suffolk in order to keep the crew at ease while Ruskov's Vyerni moved into a blockade position.

"It's not in the warbook sir" Granderson said not recognizing the name of the ship

"The Brits only built six of those ships none were 3-8" Slattery confirmed "her main gun matches us and those Aster missiles will stop any of our missiles" he said refering to the other destroyer's primary weapon system.

"And if she has Harpoons at this range we're dead." Chandler confirmed seeing the ship gradually approach he could no make out the "D38" hull number on the ship and the Royal Navy Flag flying in the breeze. Picking up his own microphone Chandler keyed the switch "this is Commander Tom Chandler, Captain of the USS Nathan James, to whom do I have to thank for the assist?"

"Captain Catherine Long, Commanding Officer of the HMS Drummond, you are very welcome to the Falklands Commander." She said Chandler noticed the light on his microphone was active clicking it he was connected to the CIC.

"Captain, CIC, sir two incoming aerial boogies coming from same direction as that ship!" Kara Foster warned Chandler picked up his binoculars again and looked into the air seeing two delta winged aircraft moving quickly through the air.

"Typhoons" Chandler said pointing to the others to where he was looking. "A Daring-class and Typhoons I reckon we've found the Brits." Chandler said "Lt Granderson stand the crew down from General Quarters."

"Aye sir" the African-American Officer of the Watch replied as the HMS Drummond moved into a wide arc around the Nathan James before coming back alongside the American vessel. Chandler, Slattery and Jetter moved to the observation deck alongside the bridge and could see the British crewmen on-board the other Warship.

"Very nice" Slattery said looking over at the other ship the Type-45, or Daring-class as it was most commonly nicknamed, was slightly shorter than the Arleigh Burke-class and was slightly lighter in weight but was no less capable. Unlike the general purpose fleet ship that the American destroyer was the British vessel was more specialized with its weapons geared towards anti-missile and anti-air weapons. Its hull was also a lot more streamlined and angular with very little breaks in the hull reducing its radar signature to even less than the Nathan James the only reason they had likely detected the vessel was because the British vessel had been using its radar systems.

"It's nice to have someone who isn't shooting at us for a change" Chandler commented as the two ships sailed side-by-side.

"For now" Slattery said half joking the world had been turned upside down they didn't know where anyone truly stood. "They certainly have the fire power if they did want to make something of it." His XO commented thinking of the Destroyer and aircraft they had seen so far even at full capacity the Nathan James would be hard pressed to hold them all off at once.

The two ships sailed together for nearly four hours before reaching the Falkland Islands. The South Atlantic Islanders had been a British Overseas Territory for almost two hundred years and had been the centre of a war between the United Kingdom and Argentina in the 1980s following an invasion by the latter. Since then Chandler knew that the British Government had put a lot more resources into the Islands including enhanced defences like the Typhoons.

When the Nathan James had approached the Islands capital of Stanley Chandler and his crew had not been expecting what they saw. Unlike the sleepy islands they had expected the American crew found two massive ocean going cruise liners docked in the harbour along with a massive construction effort. While most buildings were two storeys in height there were several under construction that were far larger and a massive construction effort at the harbour extending and what looked like reinforcing the three piers that were there.

None of the piers were capable of hosting the Nathan James, the Drummond or the two cruise ships so Chandler and his crew had to travel to the dock on their ribs with the Commander, Lt Burke, Tex and Dr Scott riding on one boat and Lt Danny Green, Senior Chief Wolf and Lt Ravit Bivas, an Israeli intelligence operative who had joined on with Wolf following the rescue in Brazil.

As they approached the docks Chandler noted the two Challenger II Main Battle Tanks supplementing the Royal Marines who were guarding the docks no-one was standing on ceremony today instead it was all about showing who was in charge on the ground and it was quite clear that it wasn't Chandler's people. Stepping off the rib onto the pier Chandler walked forward saluting a British Officer dressed like Chandler was in his Battle Dress Uniform as he went forward "Tom Chandler Commanding Officer USS Nathan James."

"Major Michael Lewis Commander Four Five Commando" the man replied introducing himself as he saluted his Scottish Accent very clear to Chandler. "Welcome to the Falkland Islands" he said smiling as he dropped the salute with Chandler following suite.

"Thank you" Chandler said looking around "not exactly what we expected" he admitted indicating to the construction work.

"There's a lot changed here over the last couple of years" Michael Lewis admitted "if your party can follow me we'll fix you some more answers." He said leading the party to a group of civilian land rovers once they were all on board the three land rovers took them through the city to a group of new buildings on the southern outskirts of the city. Unlike much of the other buildings in the city these looked brand-new and were surrounded on three sides by rows of newly planted trees. Outside one of the buildings was a plaque reading 'Seat of the Government of the United Kingdom.' And outside the main doors were two marines dressed by their BDUs and armed with SA-80 Rifles.

The landing party from the Nathan James were led through the ultra modern building its floor and walls pristine and clean. The whole place reminded Chandler of Amy Granderson's facility in Baltimore before the Nathan James had destroyed it with a Tomahawk missile.

They were led into a wood lined room with a beautiful wooden desk and green carpets. A short while later a middle aged woman with dark hair wearing a business suit entered with two aides and two more suited guards. "Commander Chandler and Dr Rachel Scott, I've looked forward to this day for quite some time. I'm Prime Minister Catherine Hudson." She said catching them off guard Chandler guessed the Drummond may have sent word ahead about them. "You were quite famous in upper circles at one time" she said "a single naval destroyer with two scientists sent into the Arctic trying to to find a cure to the Red Flu or to never return. Quite heroic" she said crossing the room glancing over her shoulder seeing Chandler's facial expression she snuffled a laugh as she poured what looked like a glass of water. "I'm sorry Commander reusing American propaganda despite the state of the world please sit." She said inviting them to join her Chandler, Scott, Tex and Green took seats while the others remained standing.

"You know of us?" Chandler asked considering the true nature of their mission had been kept secret from him and his crew Chandler was surprised.

"Not the full scope of your mission" she admitted "but your government made a lot of noise about doing everything they could to combat the virus. Your destroyer was seen passing Iceland to the Arctic and Drs Scott and Tophet went missing around the same time. Putting two and two together then following your miraculous return and journey to date we guessed there must be some sort of a success story there?" Chandler and Scott exchanged a glance then Scott spoke up.

"We have the cure for the virus strain known as the Red Flu" Rachel Scott said proudly placing a yellow CDC case on the desk contained in here are doses for one hundred people and how to manufacture more." She explained the Prime Minister looked happy but not overjoyed as some they had encountered.

"Those here not naturally immune to the virus will be in your debt."

"You're immunes?" Tex said carefully the encounter in Brazil with The Immortals and the recent attack on the Nathan James had left them wary.

"Some of us" she confirmed "but we are not part of the Immortals forces nor are we aligned with the Immunes in Europe who believe that those who are not naturally immune deserve death." She said exposing them to the horrors that the isolation on the Nathan James had brought them.

"Captain Chandler you and your crew may remain here as long as they desire. We will extend full shore leave to as many as wish, we are by no means a luxury resort here but we'll try to make your people feel welcome."

"Thank you" Chandler said glad for the hospitality "we took damage during our recent encounter with Argentinian..."

"You mean Immortal aircraft? They dominate South America almost as a single country now" she explained much to her visitors surprise "without governments to restrict them they've expanded unchecked. We'll do what we can to repair the damage your ship has taken Commander." She said finally "but the closest we have at hand to replace your helicopter is a Wildcat or Merlin." Chandler nodded knowing both designs the newer Wildcat would be preferred it was faster and had a more varied weapon option despite being smaller than his lost Seahawk. "Although there is an alternative that could be more beneficial to both of us but it could cost a lot more."

"Mind explaining that?"

"Commander the Captain of Le Boreal out there" she said referring to the smaller civilian ship in the harbour bay "encountered an American Warship nearly a month ago. She was dead in the water with no answer from hails or sign of life. Le Boreal is not equipped to enter an area with the Red Flu so they gave the ship a wide berth and when they arrived here they told us about her. The Drummond and her crew went back out into the area but the warship was gone."

"Perhaps the crew got the ship going again?" Burke suggested "our crews can be quite resourceful." He said proud of what the Nathan James own crew had accomplished with little support.

"I don't doubt Leftenant" Catherine Hudson said "but we have flown several recon missions over the Immune's territory watching for any movements in our direction. One of them caught a picture of what we believe is the same ship and it appears she is being held in one of their ports although they have done their best to hide her." She said producing a picture which had obviously been taken from altitude showing the front of a ship sticking out from between a cargo ship and a large camouflage tarp. Along the bottom of the hull was the number 103.

"The Tuxtun" Lt Green said recognizing the ship "Harry Sanders boat." He said glancing down at the deck Chandler knew that Green had been on several naval ships with his team before the Nathan James it appeared Tuxtun must have been one of those ships.

"Same class as the Nathan James" Chandler said "she would have had two helicopters assigned to her along with spare parts we could definitely use."

"There could still be crewmen in the area as well sir maybe the virus broke out in the engine room the rest of the crew stuck on the upper decks?" Burke suggested it was unlikely but something they would have to look out for "we're immune to the virus now we could go in quietly and check it out."

"You're immune to the known strains of the virus Lieutenant" Dr Scott warned "for the most part it has stabilized but we should still watch for over exposure. Especially until I can source a sufficiently stocked lab to continue work on vaccines."

"You're in luck Doctor" Catherine Hudson said "under Mount Pleasant the previous British Government built a substantial research lab which is fully at your disposal."

"Then it's agreed Tex, Rivas you are both with Dr Scott at Mount Pleasant" Chandler said seeing the Prime Minister's questioning look "sorry mam but no-one from my ship will be alone for a while. We've been bitten by a would be ally once before." He said he'd explain more once they got to know these people more.

"That's quite alright they will be perfectly safe and welcome." She said raising from her chair Chandler, Rachel Scott and Lt Green followed suit.

"If you have any more information available on the Tuxtun the rest of us would like to start planning an operation to get on that ship, check her condition and find out if any of her crew are still on-board."