Here comes chapter 10... Dedicated to those of you who reviewed the last chapter; you know who you are.
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HMAS Hammersley, bridge
"Sir, I got the mayday," said RO, holding the receiver away from his ear. "They are currently positioned to the north of us." Mike nodded.
"What was the problem?" he asked.
"I couldn't catch that; I just got their position," said RO.
"Okay, good work RO." Mike looked around the bridge. "So where's ET now?" he asked in annoyance. He had first lost his navigator, followed by the XO when she went searching and now ET had failed to return after he went looking for the both of them. Suddenly the bridge door swung open and the XO made her way up the stairs.
"Nice of you to join us X," said the CO sarcastically. Noticing the navigator wasn't behind her, he turned back to face her. "Where's Nav?"
"Sir, she's dealing with some things at the moment. I said I'd come up and fill in for her," replied Kate, trying not to disclose too many details. Mike frowned a little.
"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly. Kate pursed her lips slightly before heading to the navigation console. Mike took this as meaning that everything wasn't okay. But he knew that he needed Nav to help get them through the storm. He turned back to Kate. "X?" he asked. She turned around at hearing his voice.
"Sir," she responded.
"I need Nav on the bridge; there is a cyclone and we have to render assistance to a vessel in distress," he said. Kate looked at him for a minute before nodding. Mike sighed before reaching over to pick up the hand piece for the internal intercom. "Navigator, bridge at the rush." He slowly replaced the hand piece and looked back at Kate, who was staring at the radar.
Down in the ships' office, ET was still holding Nikki although she had stopped crying.
"Navigator, bridge at the rush," came Mike's voice over the intercom. Nikki sighed and went to stand up.
"You don't have to go," said ET. "I'll tell them you can't." But Nikki shook her head.
"It's my job," she replied. She looked at ET's worried face. "I'll be fine, honest." As he watched her wipe the remaining tears from her cheeks and leave, he couldn't help but smile. Nothing could ever stop her from doing her job," he thought before pulling himself off the floor and heading towards the bridge.
Nikki had just entered the bridge.
"Everything alright Nav?" asked the CO as she made her way over to his chair. She nodded.
"Yeah fine. You called me?" she replied. Mike could tell from her voice that she had been crying but didn't bring it up.
"Yeah Nav, we've received a mayday call from a vessel in need of our assistance. It's marked on the radar," said Mike, pointing at the radar screen. "But there's a cyclone heading our way so I need you to plot us the best course." Nikki instantly understood and set to work, swapping seats with Kate. ET arrived back on the bridge and watched his fiancé working, not quite understanding how she could still be so efficient at her job despite everything. About an hour and a half later, the vessel was within range and the boarding parties were preparing to go. It was dark which caused some of the crew to get a little excited.
"Night boarding's are always more fun," said Spider as he followed ET down the deck, grabbing the helmet that was handed to him.
"Which part is it that you like Spide?" asked ET with a grin. "The fact that there's more danger or that any potential ladies on board can't see your face and might actually ask you out?" Swain and Buffer couldn't help but grin at this comment.
"You're hilarious," said Spider sarcastically as he sulked. The guys laughed. The RHIB's were being lowered onto the water and were awaiting the signal to go. A few moments later, the RHIB's were powering across the water towards the motor cruiser.
"Board on my order," said X as the RHIB's neared the boat. The first RHIB pulled alongside the vessel and Kate gave the order to board. Swain and ET jumped aboard first, followed by Spider and Kate. The next RHIB, which contained Buffer, Bomber and Charge arrived a moment later.
"Charge, you and ET check the engines, we'll search for the crew," said Buffer. The group headed off in different directions of the ship, searching for any signs of the people on board after they did not respond to the greetings.
Back on the Hammersley, Mike was watching out the window although it was hard to see because it was dark.
"X-Ray82, this is Charlie82, SITREP over," he said into the radio.
"This is X-Ray82. We're searching for people on board and Charge and ET are checking the engines."
"Roger, keep me informed, Charlie82 out," he replied.
"So they didn't say what the problem was?" questioned Nav unbelievingly. Mike looked over and nodded.
"We lost contact before we could get those details," he replied. Nav nodded slightly before glancing back out the window. It was another few minutes before there was any more contact between the Hammersley and the boarding party.
"Charlie82, this is X-Ray82, we've found the crew, over," said X over the radio. Mike picked up the handpiece and responded.
"What seems to be the problem X, over." The line was silent. "What's seems to be the problem X?" he replied. By now, Nav was watching him, wondering what was going on. And then Kate's voice came through the radio.
"Sir, we have 2 POB. One male, one female. The man is delirious and the woman is unconscious, I repeat the woman is unconscious, over." Mike looked over at Nikki who had worried eyes and was attempting to look out into the dark to catch a glimpse of the vessel.
"And evidence of drugs or substances on board, X?" replied Mike, still looking at his navigator out of the corner of his eye.
"Not that we've found sir. Spider and Buffer are doing a search of the vessel now," she replied. On the yacht, Swain was assessing the man who was completely out of it. Kate noticed Swain's looks and knew he had something on his mind. "What is it Swain?" Swain took a deep breath.
"It's the same as the Nav's mother; no obvious sign of injury, trauma. Nothing." Kate continued looking at the coxswain before readjusting her headset.
"Sir, there is something," she said quietly. On the Hammersley, Nikki looked up at Mike, wanting to know what X was talking about.
"Go ahead X," prompted Mike. The radio was silent for a few more moments before the X radioed back.
"Sir, there's no sign as to what happened to them. No bruising, trauma, injury." Mike looked over at the navigator who had let her head fall back against the chair, her eyes closed and the elbow that was resting on the armrest of her chair was leant on her forehead.
"We don't know enough yet Nav," he said quietly. Nikki let out a deep, short breath.
"Sir, it's a yacht far out at sea with a few people on board," she replied. "And the state that X says they are in sounds exactly... like my mum and her friends." Mike was going to say more before the radio blared again.
"Sir, Swain wants to bring them across to Hammersley ASAP," said Kate through the radio. Mike cast another quick glance at Nikki before raising the hand piece to his mouth again.
"Alright X. Tell Swain to get them prepped and we'll get them medical attention as soon as." Back on the yacht, Swain had heard this and had stood up, preparing to move the man and woman. ET entered the room having checked the engines with Charge.
"Ma'am, Charge says the engines are fine. No damage to report," said ET, not taking his eyes of the scene in front of him. Kate nodded.
"We've got to get them to a medical facility ASAP," she replied. Her head set buzzed again and Mike's voice came through.
"X-Ray82, this is Charlie82. X, we are going to have to put the vessel under tow. The feds want it left in the same condition, over."
"Sir, what about the cyclone?" asked Kate, knowing that the yacht couldn't go through a cyclone without damaging anything.
"We can't leave it here. It's a crime scene," replied Mike. "Prep the yacht for towing; we haven't got a choice X." Kate nodded to herself and noticed ET still watching the man and woman.
"Nikki," she asked the Leading Seaman. He nodded slowly.
"She doesn't need more to deal with right now," he said simply before leaving the room again to help Charge.
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That's chapter 10 done. Please let me know what you think; I will love you forever! And just to remind you all that I am a Beta Reader and I am looking for stories! I really do love doing it; so help make me happy!