Ch 98
The moment she entered the bridge, Nikki gave her the phone. "Lieutenant McGregor speaking."
"Kate, it's Mike. Nav said you rescued thirty people."
"Yes, they are suffering from various levels of smoke inhalation. A few of them have various degrees of burns. Bomber and Swain are dealing with them as we speak."
"Good, I'm sending coordinates to RO. You will meet with Melbourne to transfer them your thirty guests. Have you spoken to the Captain?"
"Yes, quickly. His name is John Reed; Swain was attending to his burned hand. And we will have a conversation after that."
"You know the name of the boat?"
"The Sea Adventure."
"Well, I leave you to your guests," RO passed her a sheet of paper.
"I just got the coordinates. We will be there in two hours."
"Good. Fair winds," Mike said as a goodbye. Lowering the phone, Kate passed Nav the coordinates.
"One three zero," Nav said grinning.
"Start the engines," Kate ordered.
"Starting engines, ma'am!"
Soon they were heading towards the rendezvous point with HMAS Melbourne. Kate picked the mic.
"Here is the XO speaking. We are meeting HMAS Melbourne to send our guests over before we carry with our patrol. That is all."
Kate lowered the mic and sat on the chair; she turned to start talking with her colleagues as usual and found Nav grinning brightly.
"Nav? Are you okay?" She frowned in amusement.
"Yeah, why?"
"You are smiling. Is there a boyfriend on the Melbourne that I don't know about?"
"I'm not saying a thing," Nav grinned standing up. "I'm going to get a brew."
As Nav walked out of the bridge. Few minutes later Spider and John Reed walked up the steps joining them.
"X, Mr. Reed's here to see you."
"Thank you, Spider. Dismissed," she smiled. She walked to John as Buffer entered the bridge. Nav was a few steps back with her drink in her hands.
"Nav, you got the bridge! Buffer, you with me. Mr. Reed, please follow us."
"Yes, ma'am." On their way out of the bridge, Kate saw Swain and stopped.
"Hey Buffer, can you show him the ship office. I'll be there in a minute."
"Yes, ma'am. This way, sir," Buffer said pointing him the way. Kate turned to Swain.
"Swain? How are our passengers?"
"They are going to be fine. The crew is taking care of them. Bomber is making biscuits and muffins for them."
"Can you ask Spider and Charge to give the kids a tour of the Hammersley? I'm sure they would like that," Swain smiled.
"Yes, ma'am."
"And can you check on the Captain to see if he's ok?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thanks."
An hour later, Swain walked up onto the bridge.
"X?"
"Swain?"
"I saw the Captain. Can we talk?"
"Is he ok?"
"No, ma'am. He's going through a rough time since his parents' crash. Apparently, the outcome wasn't good, and he asked for a transfer to Perth to be close to his parents. Currently, his wife and daughter are with them."
"Well, that's good." Swain frowned. "Isn't it?"
"Not really, his wife is six months pregnant with their second daughter. He's worried, his father is still in the hospital and his mother needs help after the accident."
"I understand that he's worried about them. What about another family?"
"He's an only child."
"Ah, next time Mike calls, I'll talk to him. Thanks for telling me, Swain."
"No worries. How long before we reach Melbourne?"
"Under an hour."
They didn't reach the rendezvous on time; they were diverted first to a mayday. Then, they managed to reach them finally.
"HMAS Melbourne. This is Lieutenant McGregor of the Hammersley, copy over."
"This is Commander Young. It's about time you showed up, Hammersley. Where's your Captain?"
"He's not feeling well, sir. Sorry to keep you waiting, we were diverted to a mayday on the way. Didn't your RO get our message?"
"We did not," Kate turned to RO with a frown.
"I spoke to Melbourne radio operator. Some young guy with a smart mouth."
"What time was that?" Kate asked.
"Fourteen eighteen hours, X." RO said when he look at his note book.
"Commander Young, Leader Dixon said he spoke to your radio operator at fourteen eighteen hundred."
"I understand. Have your guests ready for transfer."
"Yes, sir. Hammersley's out."
Kate passed the orders before she left the bridge to go to the back of the boat. She heard yelling from Melbourne and turned to see someone waving. Her crew started yelling back waving at him. Kate saw Nav smiling brightly and then; the crew was surprised when someone blew a kiss towards Nav and even more when Nav blew a kiss back. Kate grinned brightly when she realized who it was.
"Lieutenant, ma'am, thank you," Kate turned toward the captain.
"You are welcomed, sir." they shook hands.
"I guess you know that guy on that ship, right?"
"Yes, our crew call him ET. He was on our crew a few weeks ago; he was transferred there last month."
"Ah, and Nav, you must be his girlfriend?"
"What do you mean?"
"I saw her blow him a kiss," Kate smiled as they looked towards Nav.
"I saw that too."
"But aren't there rules against that sort of thing?"
"If they were on the same ship, yes. But since they aren't, there are no rules to stop them."
"Ah, young love," he said laughing.
"They are waiting for you, sir," Kate said shaking hands with him before he walked towards Buffer. Kate walked over and stood next to Nav. "So, you and ET, huh?" Nav turned to Kate in shock
"What? How?"
"The look you had when you found out we were meeting HMAS Melbourne, and the exchange of blown kisses."
"I..." Nav started.
"No wonder you wanted to keep it a secret if a word got out," Kate grimaced.
"The crew would give him hell, I know."
"Ah, young love!" Kate chuckled before walking to the bridge leaving a blushing Nav behind.
Ten minutes later, the Melbourne was getting away from the Hammersley. Kate gave instructions to move then she went to fill the reports. Finally, she got some dinner for the captain and knocked his door. "Sir," she said when he opened the door. "Dinner, not a mayday." He huffed and opened the door.
"Sir, Swain told me about your family."
"Come in, X." She walked in and lowered the tray on the desk. "Thank you."
"Sir, why didn't you ask for more time off?"
"I know they had Commander Flynn doing the last patrol cause of what happen to my parents."
"Yes, but he would have offered to take this one too if you asked for it. The family is more important than the Navy, especially under certain circumstances. I know the fleet command would understand."
"Are you married, X?"
"Yes. I know it's hard being away from loved ones."
"How does your husband handle you being away two or three weeks at a time?" Kate sat down in his chair.
"He's also in the Navy," he raised his eyebrows.
"Really? In Cairns?"
"Yes, sir. When we got married, I was stationed in Sydney. And he was here; I was transferred barely a year ago. We've been married for almost four years, and we have three wonderful children."
"I'll take you are still together."
"Yes, love can do stage things to people. What about your wife, sir?"
"She's a cop," Kate smiled
"I'll hate to ask how you meet," he chuckled.
"Perth," he shook his head. "I was on holiday; I was driving to my parent's place from the airport when I was pulled over. Senior constable Cassie Addams. It turns out the rental car had a blown bulb, so she advised me to fix it before I got a ticket for it. I replaced the bulb two hundred meters down from where I was pulled up. And then I saw her the next day, the Anzac Day dawn parade. She didn't recognize me in my uniform until I told her that I replaced the bulb."
"And she remembered you."
"Yes, she told me I looked different in a uniform, and I laughed because she blushed brightly. After the service, we talked while having a coffee at the R.S.L. I asked her to dinner, and she said yes. Two days later we had that dinner, and in April it will be seven years from then. We got married five years ago; we have a four-year-old, Abigail. And in three months our second daughter will be born."
"And you missed out on Abigail growing up."
"Yeah, I have."
"Well, you are not the only one, sir. There are Charge, Swain and me. We all know what you are going through and I know what it's like being an only child."
"I didn't know that, X."
"Now you do, sir." The phone rung, "Lieutenant McGregor." When Kate answer it.
"Kate. It's Mike. How did the transfer go?" Kate smiled.
"Good, Mike. We were half an hour late due to a mayday, and the radio operator on Melbourne is in a lot of trouble with Commander Young for not passing the message of our delay."
"I see, and Lieutenant Commander Taylor?" Kate turned to her Captain.
"I'm in his cabin talking to him, Mike. I know what's going on, we've been talking about it."
"And is everything ok?"
"Hang on and ask him yourself," Kate said before she passed the phone to Brian.
"Sir? Why don't you talk to Commander Flynn? He might be able to help you," he nodded and took the phone.
"Just one question, X," Kate nodded. "Why did you call him Mike?" Kate smiled walking towards the door.
"He's my husband, sir. I'll leave you two to talk."
"Commander Flynn," Brian said as Kate walked out.
She went to the dining room, and when she was there, she found Nav eating hers.
"X," Nav grinned.
"So, you and ET, huh?" Kate said smiling lowering her tray in front of her.
"I hope you aren't here to give me a lecture."
"No, I'm here for dinner. How serious is it?" Nav smiled.
"Not saying."
"Nav... Nikki, come on!"
"Nope"
"I'll get it out of you," Kate smirked.
"Never!"
"Never say never, Nav," Kate said grinning.