After Sea Patrol

by rheadelwel

Charge has discharged from the Navy and is working as Chief Mechanical Engineer for a mine in NW WA. He is bitter over the death of Swain and severed all ties with Navy. Buffer has discharged and gets a job in the same mine. He meets Charge by chance in a pub. The other crew have posted elsewhere in Navy and are called upon, when Hammersley is attacked and Kate goes missing.

20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

At NAVCOM. Cmdr Steve Marshall went to his Captain's office to give an update on the situation. He was surprised to find his Captain at his desk, with his little girl on his knee. She was happily eating from a plate of food, and trying to talk to her father at the same time.

"I thought I'd give my parents a break. They've been looking after her all day. Besides, she's a pleasant distraction right now."

Jessica looked up. "Hello, Uncle Steve!" she said happily. Steve Marshall smiled at the child, then said to Mike, "I have the latest sitrep. Kingston took down the boat trying to make for Darwin. They have three in Austere, and towing the boat full of sea mines and other weapons. Looks like they were after the shipping lanes, and the ports. Bendigo has taken the other one, with three on board. Same MO, except they were heading for Cairns. Now, all we need is some good news from Hammersley or Childers."

"Third time lucky," said Mike quietly. "Keep me updated, Steve."

As Steve left, the phone on Mike's desk rang.

"Captain Flynn."

"Uncle Mike?"

"Ryan! How are you? Good to hear from you." Although Mike was Ryan's biological father, Ryan still preferred to call him by the name he had since childhood, and didn't want to change it.

"I hear Kate's in trouble. What's happening? Is she alright?"

"I don't know; she's still missing. I'm just hoping she's still alive. How did you know about her?"

"Jess. Bird. She had an email from Bomber, who got the news from RO. It's OK, I haven't said anything to anyone. I know to keep quiet."

"Good. So how are you and Bird?"

"Uncle Mike, I want to marry her. But she doesn't want to get married. She wants to go to sea instead. Besides, she doesn't like mum."

"I can't help you there, mate. All I can suggest is that you give her time and space, and support her as much as you can."

"I will. Want me to come up to Cairns?"

"No, thanks all the same. I'll give you news as soon as I know something. Now give my best to Bird, OK?"

"I will. Bye Mike."

"Bye Ryan". He hung up and felt Jessica's weight on his lap.

She was fast asleep.

Charge spoke to LS Green. "Right mate, no good working on the port engine. It took the brunt of the explosion, and it's totally stuffed. But the starboard engine looks fixable."

Kathy said, "That's good." Charge began dismantling the engine. He saw that he could repair the internal damage, and get it working enough to limp home. With Kathy Green's help, he set to work.

On board the RHIB from Childers, Dutchy had pulled into where the SAS team landed the night before last. He led his team toward the terrorist cell camp.

"RHIB Team 1 to Team 2, over"

"Buffer here, um, Tomaszewski here."

"We are on route into the camp. There should be a small bay north east of our position. Check for the boat there."

"Roger. Will do"

Dutchy pulled out his 9mm pistol. The others did the same. They moved through the tropical forest, sweating heavily under their Kevlar vests. The sky looked like it was going to open any minute, with thick grey clouds overhead. The air was still and humid. By the time they had reached the terrorist camp site, rain had started to fall. Dutchy checked his watch; they did not have much daylight left. The team spread out around the site, checking the roughly-built wooden huts for any sign of life. Methodically, they went into every structure on the site. Aside from the evidence of stored caches of weapons and sea mines, and the odd empty can, it was completely deserted. A discarded knife with blood on it was found in one of the huts, along with some rope. She's been here, thought Dutchy, I can sense it.

One by one his team reported in. Nothing and nobody found. There was no point looking around the abandoned site anymore. Dutchy signalled to his team and they began their walk through the rain back to the RHIB.

Buffer and his team had just turned their RHIB in the small inlet, when something flashed by in a spray of water. It was the speedboat they had been looking for all day. Clearly it had been staying below the horizon, avoiding detection from sea and air. Buffer yelled, and the RHIB's engine gunned, sending it in pursuit of the boat. Over the noise Buffer shouted, "RHIB Team 2, to Team 1 – we've found the boat. We are pursuing it now!"

As they gave chase, Dutchy's team had just reached their RHIB. They scrambled aboard, and swung it into pursuit.

The small speedboat, with both RHIBs after it, increased speed. It was heading for sea – in the direction of Hammersley! It was heading for the stern, and apparently with the intention of ramming the Patrol boat. On the bridge, the RO had picked up the boat on the radar, and was also watching the EOD.

"Sir! It's going to ram us!"

XO Patterson looked into the EOD. He grabbed the radio, "Childers, this is Hammersley, we're going to be rammed!" As he said this, the RHIBs were drawing closer to the boat from either side. He saw, on the EOD, both RHIBs were alongside, matching the boat's speed.

Charge, who had laboured for six hours on the one remaining engine, grinned across at LS Kathy Green. "That should do it. Now let's see if she'll talk to us." He went out of the engine compartment, wiping the sweat off his face. He walked toward the bridge, via the boat deck, to get some fresh air after being in the confinement of the engine compartment. He looked up and saw three boats making for the stern at high speed. What the hell? Charge thought. Just as that thought crossed his mind, he saw Dutchy leap from the RHIB to the speeding boat, then race to the wheelhouse and cut the engine. The boat decreased speed dramatically, and the RHIBs broke off the chase, for fear of ramming Hammersley. Without thinking, Charge rushed to the stern. As the boat drifted toward Hammersley, Charge saw his opportunity and jumped. He hit the boat with a crash, causing it to rock violently. As Dutchy gained control of the drifting boat, the remaining terrorist onboard rushed out of the wheelhouse – straight into Charge's big fist. The man did not see it coming; he crumpled to the deck. Charge stepped over the inert body, then grabbed a rope, flinging it to Kathy Green who had followed him out of the engine compartment. Comprehending, she made the rope fast at the stern rails, while Dutchy brought the drifting boat alongside. Hammersley's Bosun Davies, armed with a 9mm pistol, went aboard and dragged the unconscious prisoner back to Hammersley.

Charge went below, followed by Dutchy. In the rain, and failing light, he could barely see. Dutchy threw him a torch, and they wordlessly checked the area below. Charge stumbled, and thrusting out his arm to right himself, touched something warm. Human flesh. He shone his torch on the body, and he smiled as he did so. Unconscious, and bleeding from a wound, was Kate McGregor-Flynn, CO of Hammersley.

She was alive.

"Dutchy! It's Kate. She's hurt but alive." After doing a quick examination, Charge hefted her into his arms. He turned toward Dutchy, then moved along the passageway. As he came into view of Hammersley, cheering broke out on decks. Charge carefully climbed aboard, still tenderly carrying his former XO as if she was a child. Kate awoke, spoke one word, then fell into unconsciousness again. Only Charge heard that word, and tears came to his eyes.

Kate had said, "Swain."