CH 181
Two days later Hammersley left port for there month patrol. The crew enjoyed there few days shore leave and they talk about what they did yesterday and what they are planing on doing when they return next month.
Three weeks into there patrol Kate was in her cabin writing up her boarding report since her XO suffer a mild concussion from the last boarding so Kate took over the next boarding. She just finish typing up her report when her cabin phone rings so she answered it
"Kate McGregor"
"Kate it mike" Kate smile
"hi is every thing ok"
"Yeah, how lieutenant Simpson"
"He got a mild concussion so I'll be doing any boarding for the next couple of days"
"Ok be careful" "I will is that why your calling"
"That and I've sent you a fax regarding pirates in the area"
"Ok I'll get it from RO any thing else"
"Yeah Emma class is going on the whale watching trip next Friday"
"I suppose she looking ford to it"
"Yes she is and I told Maxine that I'm taking that day off"
"How did she take that news"
"not happy, she started making excuse but they don't work with me and i told her that it was plan last month and that I was going"
"do you think she could try to find a way to keep you at NAVCOM"
"Yes she would. But no mater what I'm going" Kate smile
"I'm sure Emma will be happy that your going"
"same here"
"How did the chocolate sales go"
"Great Jane said with the money there was enough to pay for all the kids and four adult plus a happy meal at McDonald after wards"
"Really that is great news"
"Yeah Jane said that Emma sold four times the amount of boxes than any of the others kids in her class"
"How many did she sell?"
"Seventy boxes and ten bars all told" Kate was shock
"I bet she was happy"
"Yes she is"
"Captain to the bridge rush, captain to the bridge rush" was heard over the PA system
"Sorry Mike I got to go"
"I under stand, fair winds" then they hung up. Kate save what she was typing then she left her cabin to head to the bridge.
On Friday morning thirty kids and four adult walk up on to the boat. The kids were looking ford to the trip. They all watch as the boat leave the dock and headed out to sea.
The adults keep and eye on the kids as they watch where they were been since they were on the back of the boat. When they were close to where the whales are the boat slow down then stop when they saw the hump back whales. When the kids saw them for the first time they was smiling.
Mike look at the kids then he heard a noise he turn around to see a boat heading towards them he raise his binoculars to see what sort of boat it was. When he reconsigned it he ran to the bridge.
"Sir you can't be up here"
"I'm commander Flynn of the RAN get on your radio and call any patrol boats in the area, give them your concordances now"
"sir"
"That boat got dangerous men on it, they have killed before and they heading this way" the two men saw the boat so they got onto the radio to call the nearest patrol boat. Mike listen while keeping a look out, then he turn when he heard it was Hammersley
"Sir know the captain, may i" the guy pass the mic phone to mike
"Kate it mike it the pirates boat, how long till you get here"
"Ten minutes we going top of the green"
"copy that Kate, you talk to the captain while I'll let Jane know"
"copy that Mike" then he past the mic phone back to the skipper then he turn and ran off the bridge.
He then walk quickly over to Jane "Jane we got a situation get every one in side and on the ground now"
They could head the engines starting up "Mike what going on"
"Just trust me" then she turn to the kids
"Kids listen up we got to go in side"
"Why Mrs Powell" one of the kids asked
"Please do as your are told, come on, please hurry"
Mike spoke to the other adults when they saw how close the prate boat is. Then mike and the adults got the kids on the ground when the pirate boat was close when they fired there weapons on the boat. The kids scream when it happen, so the adults manage to keep them on the ground then they heard noises.
Mike lifted his head to see the pirates boarding the boat. Then he turn to see three of them walk into the room and the fourth one walking past them from the out side heading the the wheel house
"Get up"
one of the guys said Mike sat up then he spoke to the kids, they started sitting up but huddling together with the adults then they was gun fire which cause the kids to scream
"Shut up" the guy yelled then the engines stop.
"What do we have here" one guy said looking at them all
"Great school trip" another one said then they heard voices then they saw the skipper and his two crew walking down the steps and into where the kids and adults are.
They saw the skipper wounded "sit down" The guys said who was behind them.
Then they sat down. The skipper was next to mike. Three of them men walk to the back of the boat when another man showed up. They were talking. Mike look at the man who was holding a hand gun then he turn to the skipper
"Are you ok"
"Yeah, radio dead they shot it when they shot up the wheel house" Mike thought about the other reports he read about what happen to the other boaties.
Then he look around and relies "Oh no"
"what wrong" the skipper asked
"Emma my daughter, I can't see her" Mike move to look around then sat back.
The guy with the gun turn around towards his mates when mike look up in shock when he saw Emma out side looking through the window.
When Emma saw that mike was looking at her she show him the emergency beacon then she turn it on then she move away from the window.
"what is it" the skipper asked when he saw the look on mike face
"Emma she out there, she activated the emergency beacon"
"What is she doing out there, if they find her" Mike smile
"You don't know my daughter, she to sneaky for her own good"
"what is she going to do"
"I'm not sure"
Emma hid the beacon then she move till she was towards the back of the boat when she saw that the prates boat was tired up against the boat she was on. She watch the men from her hiding space, when she saw them head in side where Mike and the others are, she listen to them talking.
Emma move from where she was crawling towards where the pirates boat is while keeping a look out. When she reach where the rope is she turn to see they the pirates got there back to her.
So she tug on the rope till it gave way then she slowly stood up and pull the rope away from the poll then she drop it into the sea. Then she got down on the ground then work her back to her hiding spot. Then she quickly and quietly move her way to the wheel house where she look around she push some buttons and move some levers just like what swain dose when he move Hammersley away from the docks.
It doesn't make any noises and little to no movement. When the boat started moving, Emma look out the door to see that the boat she on is moving away from the pirates boat. Then she move back into the wheel house and got up on the skipper chair and smile when she saw a patrol boat heading towards her.
She notice two HRIB being lowered into the sea. So she got off the chair and she turn the levels off that control the bowel thrusters and she remove the key and hid it.
Then she walk down and into where the others were "Who are you, where did you come from" The leader said Emma smile at him
"I'm Emma and you are in a lot of trouble, Navy here"
"your lying"
"Take a look oh bad job of tying your boat up" she pointed out at sea.
They turn to see there boat twenty plus meters away. They turn to Emma "I can hear them coming" then they look out the windows to see the HRIB's showing up
"Dam" then they ran out side and started firing at the two HRIBS.
"this way" Emma said mike got up
"come on" then they all got up and follow Emma till they were all in the wheel house. Emma she ran out of the wheel house and down the side of the boat yelling
"GAS THEM,WE SAFE" Then she saw the tear gas being toss onto the back of the boat then the crew boarded the boat taking the men down.
Emma watch them take the five men into custody "Emma"
"mum" Emma ran into Kate arms
"I'll be back, uncle Chris the captain been shot" then she turn and ran up to the wheel house
"Daddy it safe"
"Emma, why did you go back there"
"To let the navy know that every one safe, Daddy it Hammersley"
"I know sweetie"
"mike" He look up and smile as he step ford
"Kate" He gave her a hug which shock every one
"Emma said the captain was shot"
"Yeah, captain here"
"come with me sir so I can take a look at that wound" Swain said
"come on every one I'll interduce you to some of the Hammersley crew" Emma said then she walk out the door with the kids following her
"Emma is that Hammersley" one of the boys asked
"Yep that mummy boat it use to be dads till he got promoted and now working at NAVCOM" Kate and mike smile at what Emma was saying.
"Are you ok Mike"
"Yes I am, you know buffer if going to be prod of Emma"
"Why that"
"she activated the emergency beacon and untie the rope to the boat so those men couldn't escape"
"I can't wait to hear how she did it with out letting those men know"
"Same here"
Then they walk towards the back of the boat where Emma was talking to her class mates about the crew and what each one of them do. Then the kids started asking the boarding team lots of questions which they were able to answer them.
"How are you sir" mike ask the skipper
"I'm good"
"Swain"
"bullet went right through the arm, he lucky it didn't hit an artery. But he will have to go to hospital to have it properly check out"
"thanks swain" Emma ran back onto the wheel house then back again
"Sir, I hid this just is case" she pass him the key
"Thank you"
"I've also turn the beacon off"
"Good work Emma"
"thanks daddy" she said smiling.
"Emma" she turn to one of the kids
"Yes Amy"
"Can we look on Hammersley"
"Ask my mum she the captain" Amy turn to Kate
"Can we please look on Hammersley. Emma told us a lot about it" Kate smile
"Well if you all want to talk to Mrs Powell and she can get in contact with Mike here he is commander Flynn from NAVCOM to arrange a time for you all take a tour on Hammersley and to meet the rest of the crew" All the kids turn to Mrs Powell which made every one smile
"Ok we will one day before the end of the year and if it ok with your parents"
"you will have no problems getting permission from mine Mrs Powell" Emma said smiling making every one laugh.
The kids and adults watch the boarding team put the five men on the HRIBS before they got on them selves. The kids wave to the boarding team as the head back to Hammersley. They watch what happens to one of the HRIBS.
"shall we return back to whale watching" Mrs Powell said
"Yes" the kids said.
The skipper and his crew return back to the wheel house then they return back to watching the whales with Hammersley close by.
"Mr Flynn why is Hammersley still there"
"They are waiting for the federal police to arrive to take those men and there boat away"
"Ok"
When they return back to Cairns. The kids thank the skipper and there crew for the tour before leaving the boat. When mike spoke to them
"I'll be at NAVCOM tomorrow if you need any questions answered"
"thank you commander Flynn" the skipper said
shaking mike hand before mike walk off the boat and over to where Emma is. She put her hand in his as they follow the others to the waiting bus.
That night when mike, Kate and their kids showed up. The crew cheered like they always do.
"Enjoyed your self today Emma" bird asked
"Yep, sure did"
"Emma tell us what you did when the pirate boat showed up" Swain asked
"Well dad saw them coming he got all of us into the main cabin. I sneak out by going up the stairs and hid when I heard the gun fire. When it shop I waited till I heard the men voices so I sneak out from my hiding spot and went up to the wheel house where I notice the radio was broken so I went looking for the emergency beacon, when I found it. I quietly walk down the side of the boat and look through the window when I saw one of the armed men got his back to me and some of the kids. Then I saw daddy looking at me so I show him the beacon and turn it on. Then I return back to my hiding spot where I hid the beacon. Then I quietly craw down to the back of the boat where I untie the rope that was from the other boat and I drop it into the sea." Emma drank some of her drink before continue on what she did
"then I went back to the wheel house and look at the buttons and levers. Then I remember what uncle Chris said to me when he showed me on Hammersley what he dose to get Hammersley away from the docks, so I did what he did till I saw Hammersley coming towards us. I stop the..."
"Thrusters" Swain said
"Yeah them and I remove the key and hid it then I walk down to the main cabin. Those men were shock when they saw me and they weren't happy that there boat wasn't tired up. When they started firing on you I got every one up on the wheel house then let you know that you can come aboard"
"You did great Emma, I'm prod of you" Swain said
"thanks uncle Chris"
"Emma why did you want the boat to move for?" Dutchy asked.
Emma grin "To move away from the pirates boat cause if they saw you coming they would of jump back in there boat and speed off. That is why I untie the rope and move the boat away so they couldn't get away"
"smart girl" Two dads said.
The next morning it was in the papers about what happen on the boat with the head lines "commander and daughter foil pirates plans and save lives" There was a photo of mike in his uniform and Emma in her school uniform.
Every one read about what happen and what mike and Emma did plus Hammersley name was mention in the paper and the link between the captain of Hammersley, Mike and Emma. Nav she scan the article and send it to spider, buffer and Josh that morning before leaving for work.