Ch 89
Mike and Kate walked out of the resort and got into a taxi that took them down to the sea world main entrance at the main beach. When they stopped, Mike paid the fair before getting out with Kate.
"Why are we here?"
"Trust me," he held onto her hand and walked down to the terminal.
Kate was wondering where he was taking her until she saw a larger catamaran called Sea World. They saw other people on a line getting onto the boat, and they joined them.
"Mike, a sea cruise?" Kate whispered.
"Yes, just the two of us," he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.
"Why here?"
"Well, I can hug and kiss you here but not on the Hammersley," Kate laughed.
"Mike Flynn! What am I going to do with you?"
"I'm sure we can think something later tonight. For now, let's enjoy this time we have for ourselves."
They enjoyed their day out; they got to see dolphins and other wildlife, they found a nice spot at the back where they stood most of the time with arms around each other. When the boat returned to the marine, they walked back to the resort. Once they were close to the hotel, Kate texted Buffer to find out where they were.
"We are at the pool, kids having fun, Charge, Nav, and RO are here," Kate read before she passed the phone to Mike.
"RO's here?"
"Yeah! Even I'm shocked."
"Then, let's get changed to join them," Mike said.
"Sounds like a plan."
Half an hour later, they joined them by the pool. The kids were inside with Nikki, Josh, Spider, and Buffer. Charge and RO were sitting down at one of the tables with two other people.
"Charge, RO."
"Sir, enjoying your holidays?" Charge asked
"Yes! How about you two?"
"I did thanks, sir," RO said.
"I sure did, Lieutenant Commander Mike Flynn, Lieutenant McGregor, this is my son, Midshipmen Jamie Thorpe and my daughter Seamen Amy Thorpe."
"Sir, ma'am, it's good to see you again."
"You too, Midshipmen," Mike said as he and Kate sat down.
"Jamie and Amy managed to get this week off, and since we knew you were going to be here, we decided to join you. Hope that's okay with you all," Mike smiled.
"Of course, Charge!" They talked while watching what was going on in the pool.
A couple of hours later, they all went to the shoreline restaurant for dinner. Mike booked a large table for all. Nav sat next to Kate, while RO and Amy talked while they all enjoyed their meals and drinks. ET was telling charge, his kids and RO about some of the rides they all have been on and what happened to Spider when they all were seeing the dolphins which cause them all to laugh. They all had a great evening talking and laughing.
The next day, they went to the 'wet n wild' water park to enjoy the day, and when they returned, they got back to the resort bone tired. The following day, Buffer, Spider, and ET show the others around while Mike and Kate spend the day with their kids. The whole group met for dinner and planned their trip to the movies.
After that, they went to a farm tour where the kids could pet koalas and feed kangaroos and relaxed all they could on their last day. On the following morning, they picked their things and after breakfast headed for the airport.
Later that afternoon, they said their goodbyes at the Cairns airport before each went on their way. Kate and Mike arrived home and took the kids straight to their beds. They sorted all their things before Kate decided they needed groceries.
"Mike, I'll go into town to get some groceries."
"Great, I'll give mum and dad a call," he said as she kissed him on the cheek before walking outside the house.
Mike talked with his parents for a while then, he went and checked the washer and dryer. When Kate returned, they retired to bed. The next morning, they stood home sorting all their things and getting their duffel bags ready. On the afternoon, they went to Swain and Sally's house.
"Sir, X, this is a surprise," Swain said as he opened the door.
"I called Sally this morning, and she said it was ok."
"Yes, of course! Come on in." Swain pointed them to the living room.
"Please, take a seat. Would like a drink?"
"Yes, thanks, Swain," Mike said
"X?"
"Yes, if you have some juice that will be great for the kids," Swain grinned
"Cool, I'll let Sally know you are here," he said before he walked out of the room.
"I wonder how they are coping," Mike whispered.
"I'll guess we will see, Mike," Kate whispered back. Then, Sally joined them holding one of the twins in her arms.
"Mike, Kate, did you enjoy your holiday?"
"Yes, we did. And who do you have there?" Mike asked
"This is Chloe. Do you want to hold her?"
"Yes," she walked and placed Chloe in his arms. Mike looked down at the baby in his arms and then back at Sally. "How are you guys coping?"
"We are doing okay; it's tiring. But having Chris home helps a lot."
"And have you thought about some home help for when Chris returns to patrol?" Kate asked
"No." She shook her head. "When I had the boys, it wasn't too bad. Back when Chris was in the police force, however now… not only he's in the Navy, but it's twins," Sally sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to cope without him."
"And have you spoken to other Navy wives?" Mike asked
"Yes, but they all work," Kate turned to Mike, and he could see she had thought about something.
"What is it, Kate?"
"I was thinking of Hannah."
"Hannah?"
"Yeah, she said she wanted to do something different than be at home and help mum and dad out with our three." Mike looked at Kate before he turned towards Sally.
"Hannah? You sister, Hannah?" Sally asked doubtfully.
"Yes. She will jump at the chance to help out," Mike smiled.
"It's not …" Sally started, but then she sighed. "Mike, we can't pay her."
"That's not an issue; I'm pretty sure she's going to volunteer anyway," Mike grinned.
"Yeah, mum said she went crazy when it came to helping with your twins' nursery," Kate chuckled.
"I'll talk to Chris about it."
Moments later Swain walked into the room carrying a tray and gave everyone a drink before he sat next to Sally. They stood for a while, taking a chance to hold both Chloe and Tom. Then they went to Mike's parents' house and to have dinner with them. Mike and Kate left the house after putting their kids to bed.
At six in the morning, the Hammersley left for a two-weeks patrol. When they were close to Creek and Bright Island, Nav kept an eye open for the Pacific Mariner.
"Sir!"
"Yes, Nav?"
"I've got the Pacific Mariner on the radar, fifteen miles south-west of Creek island."
"Make a note of that Nav."
"Yes, sir."
The day they got back to port for the night, Kate left the crew goes to the shore only after she had warned them on getting drunk. Half an hour later, Captain and XO entered Steve's office to present their reports before they went to Mike's parents' place to see them and their kids. Sooner than they liked, they had to leave towards home because they had to sleep early and get to port to leave for their month patrol.
A week later, in Colorado Springs, Jack and Sam walked onto the ship and flew to the north of Australia where they floated over a boat carrying refugees. They used the covert of the night to turn the boat without making any noise. With that done, they flew back and waited a week before flying back to check the plan had work.
After two busy weeks, the Hammersley stopped close to an island for some R, and R. Kate opted to stay on the Hammersley while most of the crew went to the shore for a few hours of fun. The crew was playing touch football when a box fell out of Chefo's pocket. Spider picked it up.
"Chefo! Mate! What is this?" ET who was close to Spider turned to see what it was.
"Are you getting married, Chefo?" Nav asked noticing the box.
"Ah, it might be. I'm thinking about it," he took the box from Spider hand's and returned it to his pocket as the crew tackled him to the ground.
An hour later, Kate called Mike over the radio.
"Sir, we got a mayday call. We are the closest assets."
"Copy that! We are on our way back, prepare to depart."
"Yes, sir," Kate said, and Mike turned to the crew.
"Sorry, guys! R and R are over. We got a mayday to attend. Pack everything up asap."
They quickly packed everything and got onto the HRIBS. As soon as everyone was aboard the Hammersley, the engines where started and they headed to the coordinates of the mayday. Three hours later, they saw an old wooden boat; Nav tried to hail them over the radio with no luck.
"Nav, call hands to boarding stations."
"Yes, sir."
Kate walked off the bridge to the gear room. Buffer saw her and passed a gear for her. Once they were all ready, they headed to the deck where they saw one of the HRIB's being lowered into the water. Kate, Buffer, Jaffa, Chefo, Swain, and ET climbed down to the HRIB with the driver. They headed to the boat that called the mayday and prepared for the boarding.
"Be careful, some of the boards are rotten," Kate said as a board broke under her feet. They checked the top part of the ship and found no one. ET was in the wheelhouse checking things when he noticed something odd about the compass and their GPS.
"ET," Buffer said joining him.
"Look at this, Buffer." He called him over, and Buffer frowned when he watched the equipment.
"What about it?"
"It's off by twenty-five degrees."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Nav told me that the mayday call coordinates were different from this location."
"And are we sure this is the same boat that called the mayday?"
"Yes." Buffer looked at the radio with widened eyes. "No wonder they couldn't hear us, the radio's smashed."
"Well, that explains it. Let's go down." When they headed down, they found a family hiding in a corner.
"X, Swain," Buffer called out.
"What is it Buffer?" Kate asked as she walked down the ladder to see the family.
Slowly, the others showed up. In the act of self-defense, the father grabbed a bucket of water as if he was going to throw it to someone. After minutes of trying to calm the family to get them topside, ET accidentally put his foot on a board.
"Oh, no!" He managed to get his wet foot out and climb the ladder just as water started pouring into the boat. "X! We better get off this boat, it's taking on water!" X and Buffer looked down the ladder to see water pouring in.
"Everyone on the HRIB now! The boat is taking on water!"
They moved quickly and got to the Hammersley where the crew helped the family to board. Then, the crew climbed the ladder to the deck and then the HRIB was lifted out of the water. Mike was there to talk to Kate and the family they just rescued. They watched the old boat sink to the bottom of the ocean before they headed back to Cairns.
Buffer spoke to the daughter of the family after getting cleaned up. What the Hammersley crew didn't know was that a cloaked ship was watching the events leaving for Colorado Springs as soon as they Hammersley set course back to Cairns.
They took a night of shore leave after leaving the family with the authorities. During that night, Chefo took his girlfriend out for dinner. He proposed, and she accepted. The crew congratulated him when they found out the following morning and already set to prepare the bucks party for him.