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Jessica Bird: Selfless
By
The Underfaker
It was a routine boarding everything was going to plan, then she saw him a man with a rifle pointed toward the back of the chief boarding officer LCDR. Kate McGreggor (Kate/X). She runs toward her and yells for her to get down, but it's too late and she knows what she must do, Leading Seaman Jessica Bird age 19 who had only joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) for a gap year but stayed for a career, jumps out and takes a steel tipped bullet which rips through her vest just below the center of her chest and pierces her heart, she lets out a grunt from the pain, she just saved the life of her boarding officer and mentor. Dutchie sneaks up behind the man who is on a raised platform and takes him down the last man for the ship to be taken. Kate turns around having heard Bird and the shot and is horrified by what she sees, "BIRD!, NO!, not you please not you, I would rather have died than to lose you" she yells as she goes to put pressure on the wound, Bird's eyes are closed, she has no pulse, her breathing has slowed, Kate tries to keep pressure on the wound and do mouth to mouth at the same time, she calls Swain the crew medic over, he tells her to keep pressure on the wound while he attempts cpr. Bird's breathing has already stopped, Swain tries longer than normal to resituate her (his apprentice medic) but nothing works. "X" he hesitates... he just shakes his head... the HMAS Hammersley has lost its favorite daughter; Kate begins to cry but knows what she must do... "X-Ray to Hammersley copy", Able seaman Rebecca "Bomber" Brown who has returned to the Navy after 2 years answers "Hammersley here"... "Bomber, put the CO on" she senses something's wrong as she hands the comm over to Captain Mike Flynn, back in command of the Hammersley temporarily, "CO" he says, "sir boarding complete, we've taken one casualty" the bridge of the Hammersley is silent, everyone waits to hear who is injured... "it's Bird she's... she's dead, sir", Bomber's lip quivers at the news as tears flow from her eyes, she feels like she's just lost a younger sibling.
Bird's body is transported back to the Hammersley, they put her in the wardroom as they have no body bags. Bomber is the first one off duty, she holds Bird in her arms and says "why you, you had your whole life ahead of you, God must have needed his angel early... I heard how it happened, you are a hero, and I'll make sure people remember that. Bomber goes back to her quarters and cries seeing Bird's empty bed below her own. Leading Seaman Robert Dixon (Ro) is next to go into the room... the normally emotionless Ro is in tears he sits on a chair and decides to keep watch.
Of all the Hammersley crew the hardest hit by Bird's death next to Kate, is Leading Seaman Leo Kosov-Myer (2 Dads), he has not been able to bring himself to see her yet... he is sitting on the stern of the ship just staring out at the sea behind them, Kate sits next to him and says "she was special to you", "Yes mam it's like losing a little sister... she was my best friend on this boat, we would prank each other, I'm going to miss her drive and enthusiasm every time we went out to sea it was like a new adventure for her, she never did tire of being out here, how did it happen X", he says. Kate has tears in her eyes she looks at him and says "Bird is... was... I will never be used to saying that... was the most selfless person I've ever known, the last man on the boat unsecure from a platform had a rifle aimed at me from behind, it all happened so fast, one second, she yelled for me to get down, the next I heard the shot, I turned around saw her on the ground and the blood on her chest, Jess took a bullet to the heart for me... I will never forget that; I'll never forgive myself for it." "X it's not your fault, Bird would have done that for any of us that's the person she... was, I would have done it for her, I know you would have too, like you said she was selfless, you need to forgive yourself... I know she already has, and she would not
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want you to blame yourself. "I'm worried about Ryan, has he been informed yet", asks 2 dads, "I don't know... wait why would he be" He loved her more than anything else in the world... they got married two months ago in secret" says 2 dads.
Charge who has just come on watch sees the Captain in the corridor, "Sir is it true" he asks, the captain nods. Charge goes to the wardroom and sees Ro who has been sitting on his personal watch for hours, "Ro how long have you been here" asks charge, "since then end of my watch" says Ro, "that was 3 hours ago, I order you to get some sleep." says Charge... Ro leaves, Charge says to Bird... "This ship is gonna seem empty without you, first thing in the morning you were always smiling no matter what, and I know you're up there smiling now, I'll miss you Bird.
Kate knocks on the door to Mike's cabin, "come in", she shuts the door, she says "Mike I was just checking personnel records, Bird updated her profile last week with the name of her husband", "Bird was married" mike asks, "according to 2 Dads, Bird and Ryan got married two months ago but did not tell anyone." "I'll call him, thank you for the information" Mike calls Ryan who is stoic receiving the information but a wreck after they hang up.
They get back into port at Carins Naval Base, Mike gets on the ship wide comm system and says "Tomorrow at 10:00 Hours there will be a Memorial service and Medal presentation for Leading Seaman Jessica Bird, all are required to attend but I don't need to tell you that, Bird was loved by all who served with her, The Hammersley has lost its favorite daughter in the most selfless act that can be performed... giving one's life so that another can live... that is all"
At the memorial service Mike says a few words, Kate says she considered Bird as a daughter, Bomber is the one who says the most "Jess was like a little sister to me, we would look out for each other, I tried to teach her what to do and what not to do in port, but she already knew... I learned so much from her... to be more positive and optimistic, and how to be a better person over all, I can only hope that one day if faced with the same situation I can have the courage to be as selfless as her... I'm gonna miss you Jess, you are truly the greatest person I have ever known."
Mike takes to the stage again, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to present to Jessica Bird's family the Victoria Cross for Australia the highest honor one can receive in the Australian Military" Mike gives Ryan the medal with a triangle shaped flag. After the medal ceremony Bird's flag draped casket is carried by Swain, 2 Dads, Charge and Ro to a waiting hearse. The memorial ends and the crew goes on leave they convene in a bar at 19:00 and tell stories about Bird, Ryan joins them and says how disappointed he was to be assigned to the same ship as he loved her very much even 2 years ago. They toast to Bird's memory. A plaque on the Hammersley reads, Leading Seaman Jessica Bird lost in action, Victoria Cross for Australia, and ends with one word... SELFLESS.