Chapter 12
It was late in the afternoon when Captain Fairfax and Lieutenant Newton arrived. Mike, Kate and Dutchy welcomed them.
"Welcome aboard gentlemen", Mike greeted them.
"This is Lieutenant McGregor, my first officer and this is Petty Officer Mulholland, the bosun of the ship", Mike said.
"Nice to meet you. Lieutenant Newton will be our liaison officer aboard", Captain Fairfax said.
"Welcome lieutenant", Kate greeted the other officer who was a tall, dark-haired, tanned man. She looked at Dylan, "Dutchy, take the lieutenant's luggage to your cabin", she said.
"Lieutenant? What did you say? An officer will have to share a cabin with a subordinate?", the captain asked sternly.
"Uh…sir, but it's..", she began, but she was cut off by Fairfax.
"Lieutenant, you must know that officers need their privacy. Moreover, as liaison officer, he has to deal with classified information".
"X, you had a other alternatives, didn't you?", Mike asked friendly with a wink.
Kate showed him a poker face, "Yes sir, of course". "Dutchy, come with me", she said and stepped inside, Dylan on her heels.
"What are you going to do now?", he asked her.
"Plan B!", she said simply as they headed for the galley. She entered and saw the look Bomber was giving her. "Becca, we've got a problem!"
"Again?", she said deadpan raising an eyebrow.
Kate ignored her sarcasm.
"The new lieutenant needs his own cabin", she said disapprovingly.
"So, Becca, get your stuff and move to mine and you, Dylan, you move to Becca's. And get him a new pair of bed sheets!", Kate ordered.
Bomber looked baffled, "In yours X?"
Kate gave her an irritated look, "What's wrong with that? I don't have a contagious disease, you know".
Bomber flushed, "Uh..no, s..sorry. When?"
"Now! That man is waiting upstairs. Mi..the CO is now showing the ship around", Kate replied impatiently.
"Okay", Bomber replied, drying her hands.
"By the way, what are you busy with here?", Kate asked as they all left the galley.
"I'm making supper ma'am", Bomber answered.
"Huh? I thought you were having supper at the barracks?", Kate replied.
"X, it tastes like shit over there and the men asked if I could cook the food. But how was it on your side?", Bomber said.
"Very well, we even have wine".
"Oh? Well, then there's a big difference between officers and enlisted men in 1942", she replied rather indignantly.
"I can't help it Becca", Kate replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"I know, it's just statement". Bomber said.
Meanwhile they reached their cabins and Kate opened hers.
"The upper rack is yours then. I have to leave you because I need to see where Mi..the CO is going to with our guests.
"Okay", they both replied with a smile as they heard her syntax slip.
Bomber and Dutchy looked at each other, "So, we're going to start moving for sure?", Dutchy said.
When Kate arrived at the bridge, she found the two visitors and Mike there. The captain and the lieutenant couldn't believe their eyes when they saw all the new technology. She coughed slightly to attract their attention.
"Lieutenant, your cabin will be ready in ten minutes", she said.
"Yeah, fine!", he answered with a radiant smile.
Fairfax looked at Mike, "Commander, in my opinion the ideal would have been to practice before facing the enemy. But unfortunately, the Japs don't give us that time. I'm afraid that we'll have to find out on the spot ".
"Do we have orders sir?", Mike asked.
"Yes, I received them just before we arrived here. We sail next Monday at 18:00 hours. We have to keep a close watch our northern frontier and stop any enemy attempts to create a bridgehead. We'll receive more details when we sail", the captain said.
"That's clear sir", Mike replied.
Fairfax looked at his watch, "Right, I know enough for the moment. I'm leaving because I've also to brief my officers".
They saluted each other and the captain left the Hammersley. The three officers looked at each other, and Newman spoke first, "Uh with you permission sir, I'll unpack quickly and then I'm at your disposal again".
"Yes David, it's okay", Mike replied.
"Come, I'll show you your cabin", Kate said, nodding towards the staircase.
"I'm coming lieutenant", he replied.
Kate looked at him, "David, it's Kate. We have the same rank you know", she said as they came down.
"Oh? That's nice. The syntax seems to be more relaxed in your time than it is now. We still address each other with Mr followed by the last name, unless we know each other very well", David replied.
Meanwhile they reach the cabin and Kate opened it, "Here you go".
He looked inside, "Wow! So big? It's great!".
Kate shrugged, "It's a cabin, no more, no less".
David looked at her, "On our ships it's smaller".
"So consider yourself lucky", she said deadpan.
"By the way, we're eating tonight in the officers' mess of the barracks".
"Okay fine", David said and he entered the bathroom to look inside.
Kate walked away and smiled.
For sure he thinks he landed in a science fiction movie and the strangest is that he's right!
A few hours later, Mike, Kate and David were sitting in the officers' mess waiting for a waiter to bring the soup. David felt uncomfortable sharing the table with the ship's commander. Mike noticed it and tried to break the ice. "Well David, do you like your cabin?"
"Very much, thank you sir", he answered stiffly.
Mike noticed his discomfort. "David, relax! With us, you're in 2011. We're with twenty-two souls aboard and we live on top of each other, so to speak. There's a hierarchy, but it's not a Grand Canyon gap between officers and enlisted men."
He nodded, "Yes, I understand. I've to get used to it sir".
"It's coming, no worries", Mike replied.
"Uh, I'm sorry about the cabin. It was not my idea. The CO has some opinions about it, you see", David said.
"It's okay David, we understand", Kate answered.
"Wasn't it a problem to share your cabin with an enlisted sailor?", he asked her.
"It depends. Bomber and I get along well. And moreover, we're adjusting to this new situation", she replied shrugging.
Meanwhile a sailor brought the soup.
"Mike, have you heard anything more about the shore leave?", Kate asked
David raised his eyebrows as he hearing Kate's way of addressing Mike by his first name and it didn't go unnoticed by Kate. "Did I say something wrong?", she asked.
"Uh no. It's just…I didn't know that you were so laid back with the CO", he stammered.
"No, normally not, but Mike and I…uh", Kate started but she was interrupted by Mike.
"We have a relationship. I know, it's against the fraternization rules, but we wanted to request a shore posting before we left. Unfortunately we didn't have the chance to do so and we ended up here".
"Ah, I see", David replied.
"David, remember, you haven't heard anything, okay?", Mike added.
He nodded, "Yes sir, crystal clear".
"Mike, shore leave?", Kate tried again.
"Yes, indeed shore leave. Two days, Saturday and Sunday."
"For everyone?", David asked.
"Indeed, for everyone", Mike answered.
"Wow, great! I'm starting a new function with a shore leave", the new lieutenant said enthusiastically.
"By the way, if you're from 2011 then you should know when the war was over? And are we going to win it? That question preoccupied me as soon as I stepped aboard", he asked softly.
"The war ended on 6th August 1945. In Europe, a bit earlier, on 8th May 1945", Mike replied.
David turned pale, "Jeeeez! There are still three years left", he exclaimed disappointed.
Mike and Kate looked at him, not really knowing what to say.
"Nah, I can't say it cheers me up. Although, the idea of a victory does a lot of good. I suppose there won't be no more war afterwards?", he said convinced.
"Sorry David, it never stopped. Not on this scale, but brutal nonetheless. The communists are going to play a dirty role in it. In 1948 in Korea, in the seventies Vietnam, in the Middle East, between Israel and Egypt, in the eighties and nineties the Gulf wars and so on", Kate filled in.
He nodded, "Yeah, you're right, cheer me up once again".
He sighed, "Okay, we'll see. But what can I expect in 2011?"
"Everything you can dream of and beyond", Mike said.
"Huh? Like…uh… flying to the … moon?", he asked hesitantly.
"Right on target mate. People will walk on the moon", Mike answered.
"Jeez….", the other mumbled baffled.
Mike looked at Kate, "What do we have?"
"Television. Internet, mobile, everything is almost wireless", Kate replied.
"Television? Internet?", David asked.
"Uh, like a personal small movie screen in your living room, with movies, reality shows and so on", Mike answered.
"Internet is like an electronic Britannica encyclopaedia", Kate added.
"I'm baffled. Can we pop over? I want to see that", David asked.
Kate made a face, "We ended up here, but we don't know if we can go back".
"Too bad", the other mumbled.
"Listen to David. Everything you hear or you see about us is top secret. I mean not only the technology of the ship but also what you'll hear here, in the mess, from others about things we know, and that are new to you. Understood?", Mike asked.
"Yes sir, absolutely", he answered.
Meanwhile they got their main course, chicken curry sauce.
"Sir, what will our task be?", David asked.
"We'll be the eyes of the Fremantle. With our equipment, we can deliver an accurate fire direction. Our small size will not attract attention. You will communicate with the cruiser, but that's the part you already know", Mike said.
"Great! Then we will be able to retaliate!", he replied enthusiastically.
Mike and Kate looked at each other.
Apparently we are not up to speed when we hear our colleagues talk like that!
To be continued