Chapter Thirteen;
Arrived

Morning came and went in a blur for Parramatta CO Edmunds having spent most of it on the e-mail system flicking back and forth between the ship and Canberra a series of reports on both what was happening now and what had already happened. It meant that he wasn't even aware they were near land until Nero appeared in his doorway a little after 1030 hours telling him they'd just seen their first glimpse of San Cristobel. With a sigh of relief Edmunds came to the bridge. For so long now they had been sailing through open water, land only ever in the distance. They had sailed so close to New Caledonia that Edmunds had been so tempted to stop the ship and tell the Navy and their 'peace-keeping mission' in a stable country to go and get stuffed. At least a long break in the French holiday islands would boost morale. But they'd continued through empty seas and thick water haze till, out of the low-lying cloud there finally came the Solomon Islands. San Cristobel, their first stop in a tour of the islands, was the island at the east most point of the small series of islands. She didn't house the capital, but did house the largest port in the islands. It was here that the Parramatta was due to dock. San Cristobel was also the most stable of the islands. During the Solomons problems, San Cristobel had been the safe haven for Australians and other nations coming to help. Now she welcomed all military personnel, but especially Australians, with open arms. At that thought Edmunds turned to Nero.

"How long do we have at San Cristobel Nero?" He asked.

Nero pulled out the plans. "Uh, sixteen hours sir. And we're already behind schedule. We'll get about three daylight hours if we're lucky."

Edmunds' smile dropped. "I see."

Nero seemed to read his captain's look. "Sir, if we leave San Cristobel two hours early we can make it to Choiseul Island on Friday night/Saturday morning. Choiseul IS the Solomon's holiday island sir." The smallest of smiles creeping onto his face.

Edmunds chuckled. "With this attitude Nero, you'll go far. Inform the crew of the plan. Scheduled shore leave for Saturday, Choiseul Island." He sat down in the captain's chair as Nero picked up the radio with a grin.

***

"That's it." The tallest of the three figures said to the man on his left as they stood listening to Nero's news. "Friday, that's our opportunity."

"That gives us four days."

"That's enough time." He paused, listening for the estimated time of arrival. "We arrive at port in 0700 Saturday. If we plan for the night before, we can get in away from the land and under the darkness."

"Okay, I'm in." The man on the right, the eldest and highest-ranked of the three but for some reason not the boss. "How will you contact them?"

"That's easy, leave that to me." The boss smiled. "Looks like we're go."

***

He was a cricket tragic. He knew every great player from his home country, his personal favourite being Kevin McKenzie, and could quote scores from the best games. But it wasn't his cricket knowledge but his past in communications and as a Morse code expert that helped him secure a place in Nightowl. It was this appointment that was the highlight in the life of 27-year-old South African Nicholas McReilly.

It was this cricket obsession that had earned him his nickname of Proteas, the nickname of the South African cricket team, but it suited him well. It was often said that, like a flower, McReilly could be listening in anywhere and you could never know because you couldn't see him – he was as inconspicuous as a flower.

Growing up in the very unstable African nation, Proteas had watched many atrocities at a young age before his family finally escaped South Africa to the north when he was young. After his uncle was killed by a group of black men, young Nicholas and his parents fled South Africa to Egypt where they had family. From there they went to Malta, then Italy and finally settled in Sweden. It was here that Nicholas learnt everything he needed to know about communications. Looking set to become a tutor at a university, at age 20 Nicholas was contacted by Nightowl and set on the right path. He'd been with them ever since, his most rewarding operation bringing about the downfall of a government in his old home country. Since that operation Nicholas had considered Nightowl family. He would live and die for them.

It was this dedication that made him a threat…