Chapter 11. Welcome on board
It promised to be a nice but hot day. Today the Hammersley was going to sail for the first time after the death of Kate and Lance. Charge and Swain stood at the outer bridge and were looking at the activity at the quay.
"He may have it", Charge said while pointing at Dutchy who stood at the quay with a bunch of papers in his hands. "Two functions at the same time, being the buffer and the XO."
"Yeah, it will not be easy. The X. It will be weird not to hear her voice anymore", Swain answered.
"Indeed. Can you believe that? Lieutenant-Commander. She was waiting for her promotion already for a long time. Probably would have been our CO on this or the next voyage."
"Yep, and the boss would have gone to Navcom again. Anyhow, we need another XO."
"By the way, the boss is still not here. Rather unusual for him", Charge remarked.
"Indeed, maybe he's still at Navcom."
"Hey, look at that. That guy is carrying a suit-case just like he's going on holidays on a cruise." Charge said pointing to a big officer who was walking towards the Hammersley.
"Charge, buddy, you must have your eyes checked. Have you ever seen a man with boobs? He is a she" Swain said laughing at him while tapping on his shoulder.
"Uh? Damn, you're right. It's a Lieutenant. And for us ", Charge said surprised.
"Yep, for sure our new XO. Let's welcome her", Swain said while he turns to leave the bridge.
"'morning ma'am", Dutchy said while greeting the new officer.
"I'm Lieutenant Susan Dufour. I'm the new executive officer for the Hammersley."
"Ah! That's good news ma'am, we need one", he said with a smile. "Welcome on board. I'm Dylan Mullholland, the buffer, but everyone calls me Dutchy." While he shook her hand.
He looked at her. Her dark hair was curling under her hat and he could look straight in her eyes.
Wow, amazing woman. So big and a handshake like a man. It's the opposite with her cute face. The appearance is already the opposite than with Kate.
"Thanks. Nice to meet you. We will have to cooperate a lot together."
Hmm, a pretty looking guy with a sense of humour. I like that.
"Sure ma'am, but the boss has not yet arrived. I'll see I'll find someone to show you your cabin", and he looked around and saw Swain and Charge arriving.
"Hey Swaino, Charge, I want to present you our new XO, Lieutenant Dufour. Can you show her to her cabin?"
"Hi ma'am, I'm Chris Blake, the coxswain and medic. I'm Swain." He said while shaking her hand.
"I'm Andy Thorpe, chief engineer, Charge."
"Nice to meet you guys."
"Follow me ma'am, I'll show you your cabin", Swain said.
Susan entered the cabin, put down her suit-case and looked around.
So, this is it. My home for the coming months, years probably.
She smiled.
It's bigger and newer than the one on the mine hunter. A good deal!
I'll unpack later today. Now we are at the point to leave. I have to be there.
Susan closed the door and was heading to the bridge, but she was interrupted by someone behind her.
"Hey you, where do you think you are you going to?", 2Dads asked suspicious.
She turned to glare at the person who seemed not to know how to ask something to an officer.
"Ow, sorry ma'am, I haven't seen your grade. Just saw a stranger on our vessel and wanted to know what he … uh she was doing here", he said surprised.
"I'm the new XO Leader, Lieutenant Dufour, and you are?"
"I'm 2Dads, uh, Leo, Leo Kosov-Meyer, ma'am."
"All right, … 2Dads, carry on."
He looked how she walked to the bridge.
Gosh, I almost screwed up with the new XO! Wow, what a body! Hmm, should she have a sense of humor?
One hour later Mike arrived and made an unusual acquaintance with his new XO.
He entered the vessel with a sports bag in his hand and was wool-gathering. He turned around the corner and bumped into Susan who had her hands full with papers and files so that the whole bunch landed on the floor.
"Well, goddamn, can't you see where you run?", she exclaimed irritated.
Mike was all of a sudden awake.
"Oh, I'm sorry", he stammered and he bent to pick up together with her the papers.
Then she realised who she had given a dressing-down.
"Oh, sorry sir, I didn't saw you coming."
He stood upright again and offered her the hand. "Never mind X, I had to be awake. Welcome on board by the way. You've found your way already I noticed."
"Thank you sir. You're right the paperwork always find me. By the way, you know that we sail at 1400 Hr?"
"Yeah, I do."
Mike stood at the outer bridge and was catching up the sun. His glance swept over the river bank, the river towards the base and finally he looked at the crew loading the supplies on board. Next to the classic supplies there were also extra crates with aid goods that they have to deliver on one of the islands. A heavy storm has devastated a lot there and some villages have to be rebuilt. Without that he realised it, he was looking at one person in particular, the X. She had pulled out her camouflage jacket and was working together with the crew in their grey t-shirt to bring it all on board. From where he stood he could hair her loud voice when she dunned the men.
Hmm, Susan knows to get into work and it seems she can handle the men. Look at that startled face of Dutchy. He looks like she's taken his job away. What a difference with Kate. She should have supervised this action while Susan works together with them. I never heard Kate shouting, but she? Just like a drill sergeant. Not for nothing that her nick name is bull.
Later when the cargo was on board, Susan refreshed herself a bit and went to the bridge.
"Sir, all cargo is loaded. We're ready to leave."
Mike nodded.
Swain looked at the boss, then at the X. She noticed his glance. Nothing happened. She looked at Dutchy who shrugged barely seen.
Mike was looking through the wind screen to the buildings of the base.
"Boss? We are past 1400 Hr. Are we waiting for something to leave?"
"Uh? No. X, bring her out", he said and he went out.
She looked at bit surprised at Mike who was leaving the bridge.
"Copy that sir." She took the microphone. "Quarterdeck team, prepare the tows."
The next day she wandered after her watch through the corridor and stopped at the mess of the crew. The radio was playing and several crew members were busy with all kind of things. Some were playing cards, others were reading a magazine and some were chatting. She was looking amused to the cosy scene.
Bomber has noticed her. "Hey X, you like a brew?" .
"Yeah, why not?" She was glad to accept the offer. Having a supper with a gloomy commander was not so cheering up.
Bomber offered her a mug and she took place next to Dutchy who shifted.
"X, you feel already home after these two days?", Swain asked.
She leaned backwards, enjoying her coffee. "Yeah, indeed, not that much difference than on the mine hunters. Only the nature of the job is a bit different. "
"Indeed, we haven't encountered a FFV yet. That's always a surprise. You'll never know what you will find on board", Dutchy added.
"Hmm, interesting."
She took a sip.
"What have you been on the mine hunters?", Bird asked.
"Just like here, executive officer.
By the way, it must have quite a change for the boss. First his girlfriend who died and his XO who left at the same time."
Nobody said anything and Susan felt the silence.
"Hey guys, did I say something wrong?"
Bomber was the first to reply. "X, you really don't know?"
"What do I have to know?", Susan replied with a questioning glance.
"The X was the girlfriend of the boss", Dutchy answered.
"What? Do you really mean that?", Susan exclaimed.
"Unfortunately it is. Didn't Commander White say anything to you?", Swain replied.
"No she didn't tell me anything. His girlfriend was killed in action and I had to take over the function of the XO."
"Probably, she didn't tell you because this was a violation of the non-fraternisation rules. She probably would have thought that you should hear it quick enough here on board", Dutchy filled in.
"And the boss proposed her", Bomber added.
"No? My God, poor bastard", Susan said softly. "Now I start to understand the whole situation. Pfft, nice present for me to take over this. "
"That's the Navy, what you need to know they don't tell", Swain said.
Susan got herself another brew and chatted with the men. Afterwards she left to her cabin to think over the whole case since she met Mike for the first time at Commander White's office. She pulled out her jacket and plopped on her chair. She pulled out her boots and socks and put her feet on her desk.
Falling in love with your executive officer. If it matches, why not? But then you can't do anything together. Even on shore in such a small town. You can't afford even to be seen in the supermarket together. When he finally dares to propose her, she dies. What a mess !
I know exactly how he feels.
…
He's not very talkative. Tomorrow we have the welfare mission at that island and he didn't tell me about the operation yet. That's not really handy. I'll see him right now, because I must know something.
She swung her legs from the desk and stepped outside. There she realised she was on her bare feet and shrugged.
I don't care. They have to get used to it.
She knocked his door and heard a faint 'come in'.
She entered and closed the door. He was reading a book and on his desk stood a glass with an amber liquid.
Is that really ice tea?
"Sir, I wanted to run through the operation for tomorrow" she said.
He looked at her and noticed her bare feet.
Kate never did that. She was more formal.
"Hmm, X, You wanna drink a glass with me?" And he opened his cupboard and reached to a glass and the bottle.
My god, he has drunk already more than one. If this comes out, it will cost his neck.
"Boss, what you doing? This doesn't come right, you know."
"Come on Susan, a few tastes is not that bad?", he muttered.
"Boss, yes it is. We don't drink on board. This can cost you your career, you know."
"I …. I don't care anymore. You drink with me? "
"Boss, no! You can not find the answer or a relief at the bottom of a bottle", she argued with him."
"It's so hard. I miss her. Especially now, between these fucking walls."
"Boss, you have to think to the 21 sailors too. If you are drunk you spoil their lives too", she said fierce.
"Pfft, you're there. You can take care of them. "
"No boss, you're the captain. And you know what? Tomorrow we have an operation and then you must be awake. Come, lay down on you rack and have a good sleep."
"Hmm?"
She managed to get him on his rack.
"And give me all your damn bottles. I'll let them disappear, because I don't want someone of the crew sees them."
"But…"
"No but's."
She looked in his cupboard and found two more bottles. From his bathroom she took a towel and wrapped it around the bottles and went out, but just she closed the door she heard him mumbling.
"Susan, you're like Kate. She would have done the same…."
"That's ok now. Get some sleep", she whispered and closed the door.
Outside she hurried to the deck, looked quickly around and threw both bottles in the sea. Then she returned to her cabin. Inside she leaned against the door and sighed.
My God, that's promising for tomorrow. I still know nothing. Damn, tomorrow we will have probably a view without sound and the whole operation will then rely on Dutchy and me again. Great !
Hopefully nothing will happen tonight , otherwise I can't keep this secret.
If this is going to be continued, it will be a hard task for you Susy to keep this barge together.
And now a shower! I need it!
Espiritu Santo
Kate woke up. She looked around and moaned.
Oh God, It's reality. I hoped to see the bottom of the rack above me or the ceiling of my bedroom or Mike's.
She went to sit upright, pulled up her knees, wrapped her arms around them and covered her face behind them. She started crying.
I feel dirty and filthy. I'm disgusted with myself. My head is splitting and I feel sick. My abdomen hurts. I … feel … awful.
"What have I done wrong?", she sobbed.
"Why can't I have a bit of luck? Whole my life I'm struggling. Quarrels between mum and dad. Mother who was most of the time drunk here. Then all these assholes that she allowed her in her bedroom. How many times did I lock myself up in my room for that scum? I did all the housekeeping. I was a real Cinderella with the difference that Cinderella could go to a party! Why didn't the other students at ADFA like me? Why did they pester me? Mike, why did you leave me once? Now that he finally proposed me, this!", she wailed.
How many days am I here already? I lost all sense of time!
"Mike, where are you?
I want to be with you. I miss you so.
I want to sit on you lap again in the living room and put my head on your shoulder.
Please, get me out of here !", Kate whispered.
During the afternoon she looked at her hands. They were slightly trembling.
How does that come? My hands never tremble! And I feel an urge for something. Strange. This cannot be true, no?
Towards evening the guerrillas appeared back.
"Ah woman? Thirsty? A trip?" They laughed horribly. Kate could do nothing else than getting drunk and stoned.