1405hrs
Kate was positively beaming as she stood on the bridge of HMAS Amberley watching the RHIB returning from the Coral Dawn now positioned alongside the Royal Australian Navy patrol boat. The Coral Dawn's fishing lines had been pulled out of the water and stowed aboard as it made ready to sail back to Cairns with a steaming party from the Australian warship. It was a welcome relief for Kate, after the bad luck of the first three days at sea, to have something positive to report. They had indeed come up trumps with the Coral Dawn even though the crew had thrown their weapons overboard at the sight of the Amberley charging towards them. Further inspection of the vessel revealed additional fired shotgun cartridges and even one or two unfired ones. Forensic analysis of the fired cartridges would be able to determine conclusively that the crew of the Coral Dawn opened fire on the FFV. Although they had a partial confession from the ship's master, confessions often become confused or even ignored once the case is brought to court and Lawyers get involved hence the need to preserve the conditions aboard the boat for investigation by law enforcement personnel back at port.
Commander Marshall was particularly pleased with the result since NAVCOM had been dealing with several other instances of Australian fishing vessels taking matters into their own hands. He hoped to make an example of the crew of the Coral Dawn in order to discourage further incidents and also to restore the confidence of the Australian fishing fleet in their Navy to police the Economic Exclusion Zone effectively. In all honesty most of Amberley's crew sympathised with the fishermen. They were simply trying to protect what was theirs by law and the scandal of the Armidale-class boats being faulty made many crews feel that they were on their own. Nevertheless the Navy personnel performed their duties objectively knowing that no matter what justification is argued a private citizen cannot take the law into their own hands.
As she watched the RHIB come alongside she began to think about their next move. When she had reported the results of the interception to Marshall he ordered a steaming party to take the Coral Dawn back to Cairns since there wasn't a customs or Australian Federal Police vessel in the area that could take it back for them. In ideal conditions Amberley would escort the ship back but Marshall wanted the patrol boat to stay on station. There was still much to be done and the patrol boat force was still undermanned until the Armidales returned to sea.
"Ok team," she announced to the bridge crew. "As soon as our RHIB is back aboard we will resume our patrol. Navigator, plot a new patrol pattern taking into consideration the time we've lost with the Coral Dawn."
"Yes ma'am," replied Ensign Taylor before carrying out his order. Kate returned her gaze back through the rear facing windows of the bridge near Taylor's charts table and watched as the RHIB was winched out of the water. Spider was still sitting at the wheel with a second occupant in the front who was removing his helmet. To her surprise she saw the shaved head of Buffer appear from underneath the grey 'brain bucket'. She was surprised because she expected Satchwell to keep Buffer with him on the Coral Dawn. He was an experienced sailor and a good person to have around should the fishermen give any trouble.
"Charlie nine-seven this is X-ray nine-seven," crackled Satchwell's voice over the radio. Kate picked up the radio and acknowledged the transmission. "Yea we're ready over here to begin making our way to Cairns."
"Very well," said Kate in response. "Safe journey X-ray nine-seven. Amberley out."
Lieutenant Matt Satchwell stood on the rear deck of the Coral Dawn as the fishing vessel began to pull away from HMAS Amberley. He watched with almost envious eyes as he faced the prospect of spending almost a whole day aboard the fishing vessel as it made its way to Cairns. He didn't feel right being off the Amberley. He felt as though he belonged onboard the warship and his spirits drooped as it began to turn north like a loved one was going away. He tried to comfort himself with the fact that he was in total command of the Coral Dawn now that it was in the custody of the Navy and he wouldn't have Buffer undermining his authority.
It had all become so clear to Satchwell over the last few hours. So clear in fact that he wondered how he hadn't seen it earlier. Buffer was whispering things about him in Kate McGregor's ear so that she had more confidence in Buffer than her own XO. A deep conspiracy regarding Buffer Tomaszewski and Kate McGregor was forming in his head. He began to mentally note all the times the three of them were together and interpreted even the smallest gestures between the two of them as being against his position. He came to the conclusion that they didn't want their XO to come from the Kingston and would rather have someone from Hammersley. Both crews were quite tightly knit together and tensions between the two had been boiling over ever since the crane malfunction. Accusations had been thrown around on several occasions thus further sowing the seeds of discontent among the more 'fired up' members of each crew. Satchwell wondered just what was going into McGregor's logbook regarding the streak of bad luck that had befallen them over the previous few days and he thought that maybe it would be a good idea to put his own report into NAVCOM to make sure he got his side of the story across. As XO he was well within his right to do so.
Satchwell leaned over the handrail of the Coral Dawn and stared into the ocean as his mind played out dozens of scenarios regarding Buffer and Kate and felt bitter anger towards both of them. He felt he didn't deserve to be treated like this. He was a good officer and he had hoped that Amberley would have been his command. He knew Kate had served under Mike Flynn aboard Hammersley and that Flynn was a favourite of Commander Marshall. No doubt command of Amberley had been stolen from him by favouritism within the system. It just wasn't fair.
Had Satchwell looked up at that point he would have noticed that he had become the focus of attention for a crewman standing at the rear of the departing HMAS Amberley. The rest of the Amberley's crew walked back and fore the deck as they carried on with their usual duties, each one of them apparently oblivious to his presence. From this range it was almost impossible to distinguish his features except for his rather pale coloured skin. The man stood still and firm never breaking his gaze upon Satchwell as the two ships cruised further apart all the while not really interacting with the Amberley crew or obstructing them either. It was as if he was detached from the goings on around him. He stayed there until both ships were out of sight of one another.
Animosity is seldom limited to just one person. Buffer's helmet made a rather loud thudding sound as it slammed onto the shelf inside his locker. Both he and Spider were changing out of their gear after safely securing the RHIB on deck and it wouldn't have taken a psychologist long to figure out that Buffer was wound up about something. Spider had seen this kind of frustration before and knew from experience that it was best to stay out of the way. He continued to remove his own equipment as quietly as possible in an effort not to attract Buffer's attention for fear of having his head removed from his neck but the silence was interrupted shortly after by a gentle knocking on the hatch and both of them turned to find Kate standing in the doorway.
"Hi guys," she said chirpily. "Just wanted to come down and congratulate you both on a job well done."
"Thank you ma'am," replied Spider who was glad to have the air in the room lifted by the arrival of the Commanding Officer.
"Thanks boss," added Buffer in a tone that betrayed his frustration. Kate picked up on it and waited for Spider to leave the room before asking, "Something wrong Buff?"
"No ma'am," said Buffer, his eyes looking away momentarily as he answered the rather awkward question. As his eyes returned to hers he knew she wasn't convinced and felt compelled to add, "Not exactly. It's nothing, honest ma'am."
"Well it's obviously something," said Kate. "You look like you are ready to break someone's skull open with your bare hands. As CO I can't afford to let that happen. Not until we get to shore anyway." Kate's words broke through his tough veneer and the two of them shared a grin.
"It's nothing I can't handle ma'am," continued Buffer whose tone had lightened.
"Has this got anything to do with Lt Satchwell by any chance?" asked Kate remembering her own surprise at having Buffer return to the ship rather than remain with the steaming party chosen by her XO. Buffer tried not to flinch in a vain effort to hide the truth but his silence only served to confirm Kate's suspicion. Kate's friendly persona evaporated and Buffer found himself in front of his Commanding Officer as opposed to his friend of three years. "Get yourself sorted and meet me in my cabin in half an hour!"
"I said it's nothing I can't handle boss," protested Buffer.
Kate looked firm as she answered, "Oh that wasn't a suggestion Buff. Half an hour. My cabin."
Buffer found himself with nothing left to say except, "Yes ma'am."
The half hour passed in no time at all and as ordered he stood before his CO in her quarters. When he arrived she was sitting at her desk busily writing away inside the log book regarding the events of the day. The euphoria she had experienced earlier had diminished after finding out there was a problem between Buffer and Satchwell. After leaving Buffer to finish getting changed she had caught up with Spider and he told her what happened in the RHIB on the way over to the Coral Dawn. She was angry that the ship's shining moment thus far had now been tainted by this incident and the fact that it was the XO and Buffer involved hurt her deeply for it reflected a breakdown in the chain of command aboard her ship.
"Close the door please," she said to him wanting privacy during their meeting. Buffer obliged and then turned back to face her once more all the while bracing himself for what he knew was coming. "We've served together for three years now Buff. So you should know by now that I'm not going to dance around the subject. I've spoken with Spider and I know all about what happened between you and the XO aboard the RHIB. Now rest assured I will be speaking with Lieutenant Satchwell regarding the matter when he returns to the ship but first I want to hear it from you."
"I don't know what to tell you ma'am," replied Buffer.
"I'm afraid that's not a good enough answer," said Kate getting a little annoyed at Buffer's lack of cooperation. "You two are my most experienced sailors and I've come to rely heavily on you. Now something premeditated this. Satchwell wouldn't just turn cold against you, especially in front of the crew, without good reason. Have the two of you had words?"
"No ma'am," replied Buffer.
"Well then what is it? Buffer I shouldn't have to tell you of all people but this isn't some bar room where the two of you can sort it out with a punch up. This is the Navy!"
There was a short silence before Buffer asked, "Permission to speak freely ma'am?" to which Kate nodded and so Buffer continued, "Ma'am I'm not trying to hide anything from you. I can't give you an answer because I simply don't have one. One minute me and the XO were completely amicable and the next... It was like somebody flicked a switch. Then there was what happened when we approached the Coral Dawn. I honestly thought he was going to kill that guy! Ok he shouldn't have come running up to us like that but the way the XO reacted was frankly shocking."
"Spider did mention that too," added Kate. "Like I said I do intend to bring it up with him when he gets back. I'm all for my crewmembers being diligent but the way Spider described what happened it seems that he did go a bit far." Kate looked up at Buffer standing before her. He looked so uncomfortable in this formal setting with her and talking about another officer in such a negative way. "Sit down Pete. Relax a bit."
Buffer gladly obliged as he sat on the second chair leaning up against the side of the desk. This more informal format helped ease both of them and gave them a chance to re-evaluate the whole discussion. It took a few moments before Kate placed her right elbow on the desk and rested her head on top of her clenched fist before saying, "The Amberley has had a difficult birth. Satchwell is probably just venting."
"I don't know ma'am," said Buffer not completely convinced. "It seemed a bit more than that to me. So what are you going to do Kate, uh, ma'am?" Buffer caught himself completely off guard by how easily he had said her first name instead of 'ma'am' or just simply 'boss'. It was surprising to both of them how comfortable they had become around each other even more so since they had left Hammersley. Kate grinned momentarily as she chose to ignore his slip of the tongue.
"I don't know," replied Kate. "I think we should leave it for now. Let's just see how it all plays out shall we?" Buffer agreed with a gentle nod of the head. The atmosphere between the two of them warmed up to an almost best friend quality and this made it easier for Kate to ask a question that had been on her mind ever since Morales had tried to jump overboard. "Pete can I ask you something? A personal question. If you don't want to answer its fine I promise."
"Sure," he replied.
"Yesterday when you were trying to get Morales back over the handrail you said something to her. I only caught a bit of it. You said something about understanding what she was going through? That you had been there yourself. Is that true?" There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Kate immediately thought she had gone too far and quickly recoiled but Buffer insisted it was ok. It was a tender moment between them as they shared a long gaze at one another.
"I've been where Morales is," said Buffer. "I grew up in a very close family and so when I joined the Navy at seventeen and got posted aboard the Melbourne I felt more alone than I ever have in my life. It was a shock to my system and I just couldn't get my head around it. One night we were sailing around New Guinea and all I wanted to do was get away. I didn't care how and so..." Buffer paused to take a deep breath to help him continue. Kate listened patiently almost sorry she had asked this question as it was clearly a distressing topic for him. "I just started climbing the handrail and before I knew it I was getting ready to jump. I didn't know what I was trying to accomplish. I just had to get away."
"My God!" gasped Kate at the painful image she had of her close friend trying to commit suicide. "What happened?"
"My divisional officer found me and pulled me back across. It was only then I realised what I was doing. I guess that's why I like patrol boats so much. There's more of a sense of family onboard. You seem surprised?"
"I am," she replied. "I just can't picture you as vulnerable as that."
"We're only human Kate," he said without correcting himself for using her first name. "But don't worry that was a long time ago. I'm not planning on going for an unauthorised swim anytime soon."
She smiled at his wit before softly saying, "I'm glad to hear it. Why don't you get some SCRAN down you? Might make you feel better about this whole thing with Satchwell."
"Yes ma'am," said Buffer as he got upto leave although in truth he was now feeling a whole lot better having spent this private moment with Kate. It was not often he opened up about his feelings to other people especially regarding that point in his life but he felt so comfortable talking to her about it. It was a strange experience for Buffer but a nice one.