Ch 115
"Hammersley. Lieutenant McGregor's speaking," Kate said answering the sat phone late in the afternoon.
"X. It's Buffer."
"Buffer, are you ok?"
"My mum passed away half an hour ago."
"Oh, Buffer! I'm sorry to hear that. You want me to tell the Captain?"
"Can you?"
"Sure. And how about the crew?"
"Yes, they too. Thanks, X."
"We are on our way to Cairns. We will be in around eight in the morning if you need someone to talk."
"Thanks, X. I'll think about it."
"You know we are all here for you."
"I know. I have to go."
"Alright," she said, and once they hung the call, she stood up. "Nav, you have the ship." Kate walked into Mike's cabin when she found his door opened; she closed the door behind her.
"Kate, what's wrong?"
"Buffer's mother passed away half an hour ago. He called."
"Oh, and how did he sound?"
"Upset. At least he got to be with her at the end, right?"
"Yeah."
"He said it's okay to inform the crew and I told him we would be in port in the morning," Mike nodded lost at words. "I'll better return to the bridge."
A few minutes later, the PA was activated.
"Now here this, I've received a phone call from Buffer; his mother passed away a few moments ago. I know you all want to send your condolences now, but be comforted with the fact that you will be able to do so in person tomorrow." Kate said. Silence fell around the ship as the crew digested the news.
The next morning, Buffer was waiting on the wharf when Emma came running to him calling his name. Patrick and Michele were carrying the twins in their arms.
"Emma," he crouched so she could hug him before he picked her up.
"Patrick, Michele, this is a surprise."
"Mike called last night and told us the news. We are sorry for your loss," Michele said
"Thank you."
"Mike asked us to bring the kids knowing that Emma always manages to cheer you up a bit."
"That she does." Emma moved back to look at him.
"I'm sorry you mummy died."
"It's ok, Emma. Now she not in pain anymore."
"There's daddy boat!" Emma said pointing to a Navy ship
"We don't know if it is the Hammersley's yet, Emma," Pete said
"Oh... I hope it is." The moment it was apparent it was the Hammersley, he lowered her to the ground as they watched it dock.
"Is it safe now?" Emma asked after a while
"Yes, it is."
Then she ran over to the gangway and onto it. She saluted Thor before she went running to Spider's position. MJ and David followed her lead.
"They are so much like Mike and Kate," Michele whispered.
"Emma's more like the boss than X," Buffer said
"I think you are right about that," Patrick chuckled.
Mike, Kate and some of the crew were on the bridge when they heard giggling and little footsteps. Before they turned to see Emma, MJ, and David running onto the bridge
"Daddy! Mummy!" Emma shouted running over to them. They crouched to catch her.
"What are you doing here?" Mike asked
"We miss you, and I gave uncle Pete a big hug," Emma grinned.
"Buffer's here?" Kate asked
"Yup, with Grandma and Grandad." Then Bull walked into the bridge, and they stood up.
"Petty Officer Bullen, Commander Marshal is waiting for you. He already has X and my reports."
"Yes, sir." They saluted before he walked off the bridge.
"Daddy? Did he do something wrong?" MJ asked
"Yes, he did."
"Will he be cleaning toilets with a toothbrush?" Emma asked making everyone laugh.
"I don't know, sweetie."
"Buffer!" Someone said as he stepped onto the bridge
"Sir, X"
"Buffer, I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thanks, sir."
One by one the crew came to talk to him before they all returned to work. Mike, Kate, and Buffer carried the kids off the Hammersley and to Michele and Patrick. The group chatted for a while before Mike and Kate returned to the Hammersley to get ready to see Steve.
Two days later, the whole of the Hammersley's crew and their families attended Pete's mum funeral. They get to meet his two brothers, three sisters, and all his extended family and offering some sort of comfort.
Two days later, they returned to the Hammersley for a two-week patrol.
A couple of days later, they received an email from Commander Marshal that informed them that one of Ray Walsmen's boats was stolen and all patrol boats were ordered to keep a lookout for it. After that, they got a Mayday call from the freighter Beltane; they changed course while RO tried to contact them. The boarding team was dispatched as soon as they were in range.
"Sir, we've found nine bodies," Kate informed after their regular radio exchange. "Most have one bullet in, execution style. We've found one survivor, Dwayne Pearson, sir."
"Copy that, X! I'll send the HRIB over with body bags and a camera for evidence."
"Copy that, sir," Kate answered, on the boat, Mike turned to RO.
"Get me NAVCOM on the line, asap."
"Yes, sir!" A few moments later, RO went to Mike. "Commander Marshal, sir."
"Thanks, RO. Steve, it's Mike. We are going to need feds and HMAS Melbourne. Only one survivor called Dwayne Pearson." Mike added and continued explaining what he knew.
"Alright, Mike. I'll inform the fed and get the Melbourne on your way. I hope the survivor can identify the killers."
"Same here. Steve"
"I'll get coast watch in the air."
"Thanks, Steve. Hammersley's out."
Three hours later, the feds and HMAS Melbourne arrived at the Hammersley's location. The Feds took over the boat, informing them that they were waiting for a tugboat to take it to the port. Meanwhile, the Hammersley's HRIBS were moving the bodies to HMAS Melbourne, and Dwayne Pearson offered to stay on the Hammersley to help look for the boat telling them, he knew how it looked like and who from the ship shoot his crewmates and Captain.
Once everything was in order, the Hammersley left heading towards the area Dwayne said he saw the ship. During the night, Kate and Swain presented Dwayne with different photos they had taken from boats, insurgents, and mercenaries. He pointed to one picture
"This one. Only the boat I saw had the bottom painted in dark blue." Dwayne said
"Ok, what about the men? Do you recognize someone?" Kate asked. He looked at them for a while.
"That one."
"Are you sure you saw him?" Kate asked.
"Yeah, he killed my Captain. I'll never forget that face. He said that his boss didn't need him anymore before he shot him."
"Any idea who's the boss?" Swain asked
"I think it has to do with the crates I saw my crewmates taking to their boat. When they returned to ours, they were shot."
"Ok, let's see if we can identify the others.."
Twenty minutes later, Swain took Dwayne to the wardroom, while Kate printed the information they had and sent a copy to NAVCOM. Mike entered the room just as she pressed send.
"Any luck?"
"Yes, Dwayne Pearson could identify the men, and they all are connected to Ray Walsmen," she said giving him the file.
"Good work, Kate," she smiled.
"There's more," the phone rang. "Hammersley, Lieutenant McGregor's speaking."
"Lieutenant, is Mike there?"
"Yes, sir. Mike, Commander Marshal."
"Steve! It's Mike."
"I've received an e-mail with names of the men who killed the crew of freighter Beltane."
"Hang on; you are on speaker, Steve. Kate will be able to tell you more."
"Alright, Lieutenant?"
"Sir, Dwayne Pearson identified the men who boarded the freighter, and he witnessed how they were killed."
"Well, that is good news."
"Sir, all of them are connected to Ray Walsmen. And according to the witness, one of them told them that it was an order from their boss before he killed the Captain. He also said that the crew was killed after they loaded some crates to their ship."
"Does he know what did contain?" Mike asked
"He didn't. But I showed him photos of the Army ones, and he said they looked the same." Kate said
"Sounds like Ray is starting to make his move but we still don't know what his plans are," Mike added.
"I'll let the Fleet Command know and inform all patrol boats to keep a look. And a warning in case they have an RPG on board. I'll have coast watch in the air at first light to help with the search. Good luck and fair winds."
"Excellent job, Kate!" he said after hung the call.
"Thank you, sir. I'm off to bed, night, sir."
"Night, X!" He watched Kate go to her room before he went back to the bridge.
The next morning, coast watch spotted Ray Walsmen's boat, and as the closest asset, they were diverted to it. The crew was on alert knowing that the ship might contain the missing gun crates. The moment they were close, a man started firing an automatic weapon making all duck.
"Stop engines!" Mike ordered, and Charge quickly did as ask. With the ship and firing stopped they stood up checking that everyone was okay. Before looking around at the material damage.
"Charge, RO, everything ok?"
"Yes, sir! It looks like we only have smashed windows, sir." Charge answered,
"Ok. Let's get this glass clean up. Charge start the engines, ET reversion one two zero."
It took a few minutes to clean up the mess when they were eight hundred meters away from the boat, Kate called for hands to boarding stations.
"Be careful," Mike said to her before she left the bridge.
"Yes, sir!" she gave him a smile before walking out.