Standing in her cabin Kate finished putting the last few bits in her tiny cubby. The cabin was small and cramped the one wall was completely taken up with a desk and storage for files, then there were the bunks which were narrow and had just enough space to lie in and not fall out. There was just enough room to swing a cat but it was a tight fit. Her first morning hadn't gone as she had hoped. It had started off okay asides from the cramped bridge and the ancient technology but then the problems started. They had caught a foreign fishing vessel in the EEZ, you could smell it before you even reached it.

As soon as she stepped on to the old deck the stench of the rotting trochus combined with the motion of the boat, she could feel the contents of her stomach churning and wanting to make a quick exit. She just about made it to the side of the boat before spewing up her guts. she could feel the eyes of the others on her judging her, laughing at her. Then when trying to talk to the master all she had was the cards she had been issued but with the smell of the trochus and the motion of the boat she found it hard to concentrate. Thankfully Mike agreed with the action plan she had come up with of towing back to Cairns and she was grateful to get off the boat and back on the ship.

Walking out of her cabin she ended up walking straight in to him.

"sir" she smiled politely trying to look anywhere other than up at him "i just finished unpacking" she said

"that's great" he smiled "um we don't dress for dinner on patrol boats"

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise" she said feeling like a school girl getting a dressing down from the head teacher.

"talk to the navigator she will get you up to speed on our little ways" Mike smiled

"i am sure I'll pick these things up as I go along" she smiled

Heading back in to her cabin she suddenly didn't feel hungry any more. the combination of the boarding earlier along with how he was acting as if they were nothing hurt. She had finally thought she had repaired her heart.

Things didn't improve they were sent to medical emergency on a nearby island. A marine biologist had collapsed whilst on a sat phone conversion

They managed to locate the person with relative ease however she died and Kate somehow couldn't help but feel responsible especially as she had given permission for one of the engines to be taken down.

Walking in to the pub she tried to avoid where everyone else was. Especially after her last conversation with Mike. They had gone to the mortuary for the formal identification of the marine biologist. It wasn't a family member but her boss a Dr Ursula Morell.

There was something odd about her; she kept asking about if her friend had said anything. Then after confirming it was her friend, she fell back leaning in to Mike's chest staring in to his eyes. Mike had dismissed her claims of it being odd as they walked back to the ship and had referred to their liaison as "the other thing"

Sitting in the pub Kate sighed pulling a book out of her bag. She had found a quiet corner outside with the perfect amount of sun and shade. She wasn't really In the mood to socialise with the crew and she only had 180 days left she told her self if she could get through them then she could be back down in Sydney and on a frigate one step closer to her goals that she had worked so hard for.

"you not going to join us Kate?" Mike asked walking outside holding a glass

"i just want some peace and quiet" she sighed putting her book down on the table.

"What is your reading this time?" he smiled

Pushing it towards him he watched as he picked it up.

"Persuasion by Jane Austin" he said turning it over reading the back "nice" he said putting it down. "Anyway, I thought you could do with a drink and I know how fond of these you were" he smiled placing a tall glass on the table with a creamy brown drink in it.

"seriously" she said looking at the glass remembering back to the first night she had met him this was even more of a knife through the heart.

"Okay so it isn't exactly one of those but it is a Irish cream hard shake best I could do" he smiled

"how could you" she whispered grabbing her book and bag making a run for it pushing past the people walking in.

Brushing away the tears she thought she could make this work. She had to it was the only option for her to get her frigate posting.

Arriving back at her apartment she looked around at all the boxes busying herself with putting all the things away. The last box she came to had a second smaller more decorated box in carefully she lifted it out opening it. Picking up the photographs that lay on the top she slid down the wall and sobbed#

so hope you enjoy and let me know what you think x

persuasion is about a young woman who is engaged to a handsome navy officer but the relationship breaks down and then she meets him 8 years later (if that isnt M&K i dont know what is)

x