Seriously debating whether to just start posting my next story before finishing this one up - decisions, decisions! Anyway, on with the story...
Kate rushed to the Bridge and awaited the Boarding Party briefing, she could have sworn Nav looked almost sympathetic when she saw her coming through the door from where she was standing huddled over the radar screen with the Captain.
Standing herself behind her CO, Kate prompted "Sir?"
Turning to face his Executive Officer, Mike smiled "Good news X, you get to go for that little beach holiday you've always wanted"
Indulging him in a small roll of her eyes Kate queried "Before I pack the suntan lotion what's the catch?"
"Ah, that would be the storm heading our way Ma'am" Nikki pointed to her screen where she and the Captain had been tracking the approaching weather front.
"NAVCOM have advised there are 3 missing girls on Moffet Island, possibly in the company of two drug runners. We haven't been fully briefed, the AFP have been chasing these guys but haven't been forthcoming about how the girls fit into this or what is actually going on; Cmdr Marshall is trying to get more information but our main problem is the encroaching storm. Latest reports indicate it is going to hit sooner rather than later, we'll give 2 hours then you and the Boarding Party need to be off that Island and back on Hammersley to allows us time to get out of the storms path"
Running through various scenarios in her head, Kate was planning how to divvy up the Boarding Party once they reached land "Extra plating Sir?"
"Yes X, we're presuming armed and dangerous but again the FEDS aren't sharing too much with the Navy at the moment" Mike didn't like the idea of sending his people into a situation where the information was limited and had come close to assuming operational control of the Boarding Party but Cmdr Marshall had cut him off when he floated the idea with him. "Listen to me Mike, you stay on the Ship and do your job; trust that Lt McGregor will do hers. She knows what she's doing or I wouldn't have transferred her to you. If she comes to me complaining about you not letting her fulfil her duties you won't be on The Hammersley long enough to see her decommissioning; I'll put another Commanding Officer in place and I guarantee they won't cause me the same aggro you have in the past lot of months."
With a contrite "Sir" Mike had hung up the phone and summoned his Executive Officer to the Bridge for her briefing.
Knowing time was of the essence Kate was anxious to get moving "If there's nothing else Sir, we'll get going then"
Mike looked Kate square in the eyes "Two hours X, I mean it. The safety of the crew and Ship are my priority, there's a major storm rolling in and I don't intend to hang around long enough to meet it head on"
Nodding in acknowledgement, Kate moved from the Bridge to the weapons locker where Buffer and Swain were issuing vests and guns "extra plating Buffer"
"We expecting trouble Ma'am?"
"Unsure" Kate outlined the scant information available and emphasised the time constraint they were facing.
Whilst listening to what they knew Buffer was running a game plan through his head, he had worked a few boardings with the new Executive Officer and they had mainly been successful but this would be their first land based search and rescue operation and he was determined to ensure it was a good result.
Once the RHIB landed on the Island and the crew disembarked Buffer looked to the X awaiting her instructions.
Surveying the area Kate began vocalising her plan "Rhino remain with the RHIB, Buffer and Swain take the East, Cheffo and I will take the West. I don't need to remind everybody this is a time sensitive operation, we have 1 & ¾ hours left; our main priority is the safety of the girls, avoid engagement with the male drug runners where possible"
Suitably impressed with the division of work, Buffer gave Kate a small nod "Ok move out"
After 50 minutes of tracking through the jungle environment where the rain had started already, Swain became alerted to a noise out of place; putting his hand out and catching Buffer on the shoulder to hold him up. "Do you hear that?"
Focussing on what he could hear and filtering out what he knew was normal background noise Buffer picked up on an anomalous sound; straining his eyes as if he could see through the dense forest before him, Buffer concentrated and then it dawned on him "crying – somebody is crying"
Moving forward Buffer and Swain honed in on the sounds they were hearing and came across two very bedraggled and startled girls huddling behind a fallen tree. Approaching cautiously Buffer announced "Australian Navy – is there anybody else close by?"
Both of the girls were startled and one jumped up and ran to Buffer, enveloping his in a bear hug "Thank-you, oh thank-you so much for finding us" letting go of Buffer and turning to her friend "Cissy we're safe, we can go home"
Whilst the little scene had been playing out before him, Swain had begun advancing on the girl who remained on the ground; "Ma'am, are you injured?"
"My ankle, I think it's broken…I can't stand" Swain reached the girl and gently rolled up her trouser leg "pretty colourful leg you got there ma'am; bruising from when you fell?"
"Swaino? What's the damage?" Buffer was preparing to radio to the X and wanted to make a comprehensive report.
The Bridge crew was listening intently to the radio chatter between the Boarding Party, Mike gripped his radio tightly wanting to interrupt and ask his own questions but he waited.
"X-Ray 82 this is Bravo 82, come in over"
"Bravo 82, this is X-Ray 82 go ahead"
"Ma'am we've found two of the girls, one has a suspected broken ankle and the second appears uninjured save for a few bruises"
"Roger Bravo 82, Cheffo and I are making our way to your location now to provide assistance"
"Romeo 82 this is X-Ray 82 come in over"
"X-Ray 82 this is Romeo 82, go ahead"
"Rhino Buffer and Swain have got two of the girls, make sure the RHIB is ready to depart"
"Roger, ma'am the swell is picking up pace and the weather is starting to turn. Romeo 82 out"
Kate and Cheffo made their way through the dense forest to the co-ordinates Buffer had given them and found Swain had prepared the girls for evacuation. Buffer had quizzed the girls and found out they had been working in a local bar and struck up a flirtation with two patrons, after a few drinks too many they had decided to take them up on their offer of a pleasure cruise. Unfortunately pleasure had turned to terror when the two men had brought them to Moffet Island and threatened them; two of the girls had managed to escape but the third friend hadn't been quick enough and the two drug runners had made off with her into the jungle.
Having heard enough to be more than concerned, Kate ordered Cheffo and Swain back to the RHIB with the two injured girls "Charlie 82, this is X-Ray 82 over"
"Charlie 82 go ahead"
"Sir Swain and Cheffo are heading back to the RHIB with two of the three girls, Buffer and I are heading back into the forest to see if we can find the third girl, she may be injured" Kate and Buffer were preparing to leave the area and more their search forward.
Looking at his Navigator, Mike shook his head "Negative X, the weather is turning quickly, we need to get out of this storms path; return to the RHIB and make your way back to Hammersley"
"Sir, this girl is scared and in the company of two armed and very dangerous drug runners – we can't leave her here"
"X this is not open for discussion" Mike had adopted his most authorative Captain's voice, the one normally reserved for junior sailors needing their heads pulled back in. Nikki suddenly found her screen to be the most interesting thing on the Bridge and turned her undivided focus to it, all the time listening to the discussion going on via radio.
Looking at Buffer who gave her a nod "Sir, Buffer and I still have time – we'll have a quick scout around, if we find nothing we'll head back to the RHIB. We need to find this girl, she's injured and scared; who knows what these guys are doing to her"
"Ok, time's ticking on X; do a quick rekkie and straight back to the RHIB, we'll give you 20 minutes"
"X-Ray 82 out"
Buffer and Kate went running in the direction that the girls they had found told them they had come from; surveying the ground for evidence that the drug runners had been there Buffer mis-stepped, feeling the ground giving out from beneath him he automatically reached out for something to stop his fall. Unfortunately the only solid object he made contact with was Kate's arm, and he had the misfortune of dragging her down the steep embankment with him.