Ch. 33 Maiden trip
The evening passed in a good mood. Bomber had prepared soup, roasted pork with French beans and potatoes and brownies afterwards. It was a unique opportunity for all the crew to eat together. They were able to reconnect and catch up for the lost time and had fun about stories they lived in the past.
The next day, they were ready to leave. First they had to pick up the five containers to another quay. Arthur had waved them goodbye and a harbour pilot and a tugboat managed to moor the ship at the container dock yard.
Dylan has noticed that his girlfriend was getting nervous by the minute. If you called her, she almost jumped out of her skin.
"Is this really something for me?", she whispered to him.
"Honey, it is. You'll see. When you'll feel the vibrations of the engine and the swell of the sea, you'll back in business", he said trying to sooth her.
As soon as the last container was loaded aboard and they got the signal from the wharfmaster that they were ready to leave.
There they were. Charge at his console, with 2Dads next to him. Synthia at the helm. Robert next to the radio. Chris on deck to keep an eye at the mooring team.
"We can leave captain", Dylan said solemnly, but Kate didn't react. She was staring through the windscreen, biting her lip, hands clenched on the back of the captain's chair.
Charge, 2Dads, RO, Synthia and Dylan were looking at her. Chris was looking upwards to the bridge to pick up a signal.
A minute passed and she had still not moved. Dylan glanced outside and saw the tugboat a bit further, patiently waiting like a collie next to a flock of sheep.
He walked calmly to her. "Kate, should I ask for the tugboat?", he asked softly.
All of a sudden she turned abruptly towards him and her green eyes were so fiercely hostile, that it reminded him of the altercations he had with her the first weeks he was aboard the Hammersley. She looked daggers at him.
"No!", she snapped and she looked around.
"Engine room stand-by?", she ordered.
"Engine room stand-by", Charge replied.
"Release all lines, except the forward spring", she said.
"Release all lines, except the forward spring", Dylan repeated in the microphone.
"Aye!", Chris replied on the deck and barked his orders.
"Lines free!", was the answer.
"Very slow ahead starboard", Kate ordered.
"Very slow ahead starboard", Synthia repeated.
The engines started to turn and they could all feel the vibrations. The ship pulled on the last remaining line which was tight as a fiddle string, but the stern of the ship moved away from the quay.
"Stop all engines!", Kate said.
"Stop all engines", Synthia repeated.
"Release forward spring!", she ordered.
"Release forward spring!", Dylan passed the order.
"All free!", Dylan repeated after hearing their second officer's answer.
"Amidships!"
"Amidships."
"Slow astern!"
"Slow astern"
The ship start to sail slowly backwards creating an even larger gap between her and the quay.
"Stop all engines! Amidships!", Kate ordered.
When the bow pointed to the middle of the channel, she ordered, "Slow ahead" and added sarcastically "compliment to your tugboat!".
"Aye!", Dylan said and turned to grab the microphone, but he had a grin on his face.
It was not the friendliest method, but it worked. Knowing her, my ears are going to be tortured again.
After sending the message to the tugboat that sailed away, he came back to Kate who stopped peering through her binoculars.
"Don't ever, ever tell me that again! It was really humiliating!", she snapped.
"I'm sorry", he replied hoping that she would cool down, but in vain.
"Do you have a chart ready of this area?", she asked without emotion.
"Yes, it's already on the table", he replied.
"Take over! I'll plot our next course", she said sternly and padded to the table.
A bit later Chris appeared on the bridge and looked around to find out why they had to wait so long before he could release the lines. His gaze was caught by Dylan who winked at him. Chris knew right away he would have more information later.
After a while the ship reached open sea.
"Steer 0-5-0!",Kate ordered.
"Steer 0-5-0", Synthia repeated and she started to turn on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the grades of the compass.
"Full speed ahead!", she ordered again.
"Full speed ahead", Synthia repeated and she pushed the throttle forward. Immediately they felt the power of the engines when the bow turned in the direction of Sydney.
Kate padded to the captain's chair and sat down.
"What's going on here?", Chris whispered to Dylan.
"Our first fight, I guess", Dylan whispered back.
Chris grinned, "Believe me mate, it won't be your last either".
"I'm going to get a brew, so you know where I am", Dylan announced aloud leaving the bridge.
The bridge was calm. Kate glanced over her shoulder and stood up.
"Chris! You've ship", she said.
"Second officer has the ship", he repeated and saw grins around him.
"What?"
"Silly, we're no longer in the Navy. You don't have to repeat it", Charge said.
Chris shrugged, "Can I help it? Ok, it will fade away, I hope", he said checking the course before looking at the radar.
Kate padded to the galley where the smell of supper already filled the corridors. She saw Dylan busy with the coffee jar and she also grabbed one of the mugs that was next to it.
"Uh, Dylan, I… uh, I would like to apologize. What I told you was not fair and the way I behaved either", she said looking at him.
He smelled the aroma and carefully took a sip. "Never mind Kate"
"No, really, it was rude and I needed a kick in the ass. I was a tad nervous and at the moment of acting, I froze. I started thinking back to the past and all that went wrong and I panicked. Your stupid tugboat suggestion made me go down to earth", she said.
"Stupid tugboat suggestion?", he questioned, pretending to be indignant.
"Yep, you don't say that to a captain", she replied with a smirk as she punched him on the arm and he stepped back by overflowing the liquid of his mug.
"Hey! That's the arm with my mug! I could have scalded myself with so hot coffee", he teased her.
"Ginger cookie!", she mumbled before taking a sip from her mug.
Dylan grinned because he knew that Kate regained her fighting spirit. She was already a completely different person from the frightened woman he had found at the tavern.
She winked at him, "Let's see how our second officer behaves as captain".
After supper Dylan was sitting in his cabin and was reading the curriculum vitae that some men had given him. He looked up as somebody knocked at the door. "Come in".
2Dads entered with a sheet of paper in his hand and a plastic bag with something heavy in it.
He leaned back against his chair, "Leo, what can I do for you?"
"Uh Dutchy, I have here my CV, but I'm afraid it's not that bright", he said handing the sheet of paper.
Dylan accepted it and glanced at it, "Just for admin purposes Leo. I will not crucify you because of your past. We're here now and that's what matters", he said.
"Uh Dutchy, maybe you could drop Leo, I prefer 2Dads", he said a bit ill-at-ease.
"Oh? Well, no problem", he said spreading his big hands.
"Dutchy, there's something else", he said cautiously.
"Yes, 2Dads, I'm listening", Dylan replied while leaning on the desk with his elbows.
"But, don't tell Charge! If he finds out, then I will have to pay him back all my debts ", 2Dads said. Holding the plastic bag with one hand, he inserted the other hand inside.
"We're no longer in the Navy and I thought it might be useful, someday", he said as he put down three 9 mm Glock pistols on Dylan's desk. Then he put a pair of cardboard boxes containing bullets next to them.
Dylan widened his eyes, "Jeez, man, how did you get these?!"
"Charge forbade me to play poker again because he paid the bail for me some time ago. But one day I couldn't resist and I was lucky. These guys couldn't pay and gave me some pistols instead."
"Ah! That's why I may not tell anything to Charge".
2Dads shrugged, "It was the worst deal of all time. I won three pistols that don't pay off and if I dared to sell them, the police would be on me in no time. So, now they are at the right place", he said sighing.
Dylan nodded, "Yes indeed 2Dads, it's a wise move. I'll lock them in the captain's armoury. Thanks!".
2Dads raised his eyebrows slightly panicked.
"Of course, the captain must know that we have weapons, but it will not go further!", Dylan said.
He nodded, "Ok, yes, thanks" and 2Dads left.
Dylan checked if the guns were secured and put them back in the bag. He stood up and left his cabin to knock at Kate's cabin door.
"Who's it?", he heard from inside.
"Me!"
"Yep!"
He entered and saw Kate in the bathroom wearing only her undies.
"I just wanted to have a shower", she said.
"It's a pretty sight", he said.
"Isn it?", she said while swaying her hips to tease him.
"Absolutely", he replied kissing her.
"How was your first day back at sea?"
"Great! But tiresome. It was also the first time as commander. Too many things to check and double-check. Now a shower and then a good night's sleep", she said.
"You'll see, tomorrow you will see things differently", Dylan replied pushing some stands of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, nonetheless I'm tired now".
"But, what do you have in that bag?", she asked.
He took a step back and grabbed one of the pistols in the bag, "Guns, three".
Kate looked disapprovingly at the one he was holding. "What is it good for?"
"Is that a question from a former Navy officer? Of course! We have to defend ourselves from pirates and other scum. They won't attack patrol boats, but cargo ships are easy prey. And I don't want to sit on my ass when they rub up against our ship!", he said fiercely.
"Hmm, yeah, you're right. We're all Navies. But where are you going to put them?", she asked.
"Firearms are normally stored in the armoury of the captain's cabin. There must be a small cabinet, somewhere", he said looking around.
"In here", Kate said padding to a cupboard. She opened it and inside there was a second cabinet that she also opened. She showed him several empty hooks.
"Great!", he said by hanging the guns."
He turned towards her, "It's a pity we can't be together, huh?"
Kate shrugged, "Yeah, I know, but we both decided that, towards the crew, it would be better to have our own cabins."
"Yes, indeed. Well, enjoy your shower and see you tomorrow", he said kissing her forehead. He got out of the cabin and she undressed to have a shower, but not without glancing at the large bed she had as a captain.
You can both fit in it!
Back in his cabin, he grabbed the next CV. Bomber's.
"Hmm, this is surprising!", he mumbled browsing through Bomber's. Dylan stood up and left his cabin. He went straight to the breakroom where he expected to see her. The TV was on and some men were sitting in the club chairs and on the couch. Rebecca was one of them.
"Becca?", he called and he saw her looking in his direction.
"Do you have a second?"
"Yep!", she said while getting up.
"Do you need a snack?", she asked him.
He smiled and shook his head, "No, I just would like to talk to you in my cabin".
"Ok", she replied, padding after him to his cabin.
Once inside he sat down and made a hand gesture to the chair, "Please, take a seat".
Next he looked at the CV and looked up at her. "Becca, I'm surprised me in a positive way. I didn't know that you have a degree in accounting".
"Yeah, after high school, I studied two more years to become as accountant", she replied.
"Considering your age, did you start immediately in the Navy? Couldn't you find a job as an accountant?", Dylan asked.
Rebecca shrugged. "In the second year I realised that it was boring, but I didn't leave school and finished my year. My degree in hand, I enlisted in the Navy. I wanted to do something more exciting", she replied with a grin.
"Hmm, I see. Well, do you want to be our ship accountant, besides being cook and the medic? Is that something you could consider?", he asked.
"The ship accountant?! In fact the Captain's right-hand for finance and supplies management?", Rebecca replied surprised.
"Yep".
"Wow! Yes, I would like to do that!", she replied enthusiastically.
"Ok, agreed! That means you'll get the rank of purser and, on this type of tonnage it's the equivalent of a warrant officer. That also means a higher salary", Dylan said.
She grinned at him, "I can relish the idea! And when should I start?"
"Quite easy. Right now!", he said deadpan.
She raised her eyebrows.
"Yep, we also have an office aboard. We've put there all the important files and that will make up your kingdom. Settle in and organise as you like. Your galley and your wardroom are ok, so I trust you for that one too", he said.
"Ok, that's a challenge. I like it!", she said as she stood up.
"I think I'll go to my rack a bit earlier because tomorrow will be a long day!", she said grinning.
"Yep, good luck Becca!"
She left his cabin and he leaned back his chair. "These CV's were not at all a bad idea, now we have a real accountant aboard!"
The next morning Dylan knocked at Kate's cabin door and he got almost immediately a response.
"Come in!"
He entered and saw Kate busy tying her hair in a ponytail.
"Morning honey! Hungry?", he said.
"Good morning darling. Yeah, I'm starving!", she replied approaching to kiss him.
"Nice! Come", he replied opening the door for her.
In the mess room they sat down and he started with the bacon and eggs while Kate contented herself with toasts and marmalade.
"How do you feel?", he asked her.
"Good! A tad better than yesterday. I know, I behaved stupidly, but it has happened so many things since the Hammersley, that the uncertainty took possession of me", Kate said looking at him, "But you don't have to worry. I'm thrilled to continue this way! An own command, a big ship, a splendid crew and …. a lovely first officer", she said taking his hand.
"I like to hear that", he replied gently squeezing her hand.
"Did you feel the same way after your hospital stay?", Kate asked.
"Hmm, it was different. I have been lucky. I was alive and I wanted to enjoy life. I travelled a lot, slept in B&B's, in my car, just wanted to see everything I had never seen before", Dylan replied after taking a sip.
She nodded.
"Kate, there's a little change in the crew. Seeing the CV's I discovered yesterday that Becca has a degree in accounting and I've made her the purser or, if you prefer, the ship accountant", he said.
"Huh? Bomber an accountant?", Kate replied surprised between bites.
"Yep, it is. It means a promotion for her. The equivalent of a warrant officer", he said.
"I've never known that!",
"I do believe it. On the Hammersley we didn't need an accountant. The HR department should have known this, if she had told them.
"Well, that's good to know!",
"After our breakfast I'll announce it to the crew", he said before taking another piece of bacon.
To be continued