CH 4

His men stop and wait to see what Jim would do just as Spider walk quickly to the hatch to spread the word about what was happening on the boat deck.

He ran up and onto the bridge, "Sir you better come down to the boat deck, you'll want to see this."

"Why?"

"MacGyver, she challenged the SAS captain to the wall exercises, he said to the XO that it looks easy, but I tell you, Sir, it's bloody hard."

"Nav you have the ship," he said getting up and walking down the steps, chuckling, "This should be good!" Mike said

"Not fair, I'm missing out on the fun."

"I'm sure the crew will tell you all about it Nav," Swain said.

"Yeah"

On the boat deck, Jim walked over to MacGyver removing his jacket and passing it to one of his men, "alright let's do this," as the navy crew cheered.

"Ok, this is what you've got to do." MacGyver showed him the once. When done she looked at him, "you got it?"

"Sure"

"Ok, let's do it."

"How many times?"

"Until one of us let's go of the rail."

"Ok, let's get started." Then they started with only half a meter between them.

Jim could only manage to raise his legs to between four and five O'Clock whereas MacGyver can raise to three o'clock. When it came to the knees every one could see that Jim struggling for the first one but he keeps going.

When Mike arrived on the boat deck, Kate told him what was happening while both SAS and Navy cheering Jim and MacGyver on. They all can see them both starting to sweat but keep going for fifteen minutes until Jim let go of the rail and collapsed onto the ground. MacGyver did two more while the crew cheered her on before she let go herself. Then she crouched down next to Jim.

"That was bloody hard!"

MacGyver chuckled, "It's not as easy as you think, it takes months of conditioning Captain and to be in great shape."

"Your right about that," putting his hand out and she put hers into his, they shake, then letting go before they stood up. Spider passed them both bottles of cold water.

"Thanks, Spider," she drank it all at once which shocked the Captain.

"Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to have a shower. Enjoy your work out Captain."

"MacGyver," then she turns and walks away.

"Not easy, but I think you just met your match, Captain," Mike said as he and Kate walked towards the hatch.

"And the rest of you, back to work," Kate said.

"Jim we thought you had her," one of his men told him.

"Same here, let's get back to the exercises."

"Ok lads! Hit the deck!" his second said.

That night the SAS showed up for dinner. They mingled with the crew while enjoying dinner. When Jim showed up, MacGyver passed him his plate.

"Smells good"

"Wait till you try it"

"Oh, I will."

Fifteen minutes later, MacGyver was sitting down in the dining room eating her own dinner when Jim saw her and walked in, "Hi."

"Sir."

"Call me Jim."

"June." he sat down not far from her.

"I've never come across any man or woman who challenged me like you just did today in front of your crewmates and my team."

"You don't like being challenged by a woman?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"I was in the army before the SAS. Challenging but nothing like you"

"OH"

"No one has ever beaten me, man or woman."

"Until this afternoon," MacGyver quips.

"Yeah. Are you always that hard, and strict with your crewmates?"

"It depends on what they've done wrong. They know not to cross me, today's an example of what sort of woman and sailor I can be. I do have a softer and caring side."

"That's good to know."

Nav was outside the dining room listening to MacGyver and Jim talking. She turned when she saw Charge, waving him over she held a finger to her lips so he knows to be quiet.

"What?" he mouthed. When he was closer he heard MacGyver and Jim talking. They looked at each other and grinned while they continued to listen. Then Spider showed up and listened as well until they heard Jim say...

"Well, I better return to my men, good night June."

"Good night Jim," then Jim walked out of the dining room and returned to his men.

When Spider, Charge, and Nav opened the door from the officer's dining room where they were hiding, they came face to face with MacGyver. They look at her in shock and realize they have been busted. She shook her head at them and walked away. Looking at each other, they step outside watching her in the galley.

"Come on. you can't keep us in suspense," Charge said.

"I'm deciding on what to do with you three. Now I don't want you to talk about my private conversation with captain Roth, ok?"

"Yes, MacGyver."

"Good, if I find out that one of you blabbed, you will be in a lot of trouble not only with me but our captain as well."

"MacGyver, you are not SAS, so you are not breaking the rules," Nav said.

"I know that I don't want to talk about it." She finished cleaning up then left to go to her cabin.

The next morning the SAS was dropped off at their specified location. Hammersley then went on to Samaru port where they were delivering aid boxes when a woman walks over to Mike and MacGyver. She told Mike that the crew was invited to a cocktail party the next night. Thinking that they could some relaxation he readily agreed. Word got around quickly and everyone was looking forward to going.

The next night most of the crew showed up in their uniforms while others opted to stay on board Hammersley. At the reception party, Spider went over to the bar and waited to order a beer. MacGyver joined him and stood next to him while he was waiting to be served.

"Light beer please," Spider said as he stepped up.

The waiter spoke in French, MacGyver able to speak French, wasn't pleased with what he said to Spider. Then she spoke to him in French as she got more annoyed, she slowly raised her voice. Arousing interest in what was happening some of the guests turned to watch as Mike and Kate walked over to them.

"MacGyver," Mike said to her.

"Sorry Sir, I will not have some smart-mouthed French waiter saying nasty things to a crew member in French when the crew member doesn't understand what he just said, Sir. To me, that is total disrespect to anyone in the Australian Armed Forces."

"What did he say?" Mike asked leaning forward quietly so only she and Kate could hear.

When she finishes telling them she stood back just as the French Lieutenant who Mike met the day before walking over to them.

"Lieutenant Commander, what's going on here? You are guests here and one of your crew is yelling at one of the staff?"

"Ma'am," MacGyver said to her, she turns to MacGyver.

"I apologise for my actions here tonight, I shouldn't have raised my voice as I did, but I do not appreciate anyone from any visiting country insulting members of the Australian Armed Forces, especially in their own language when that person doesn't understand."

"Assaulted? Who was assaulted?"

"One of the sailors, Ma'am. It was a French bartender who verbally assaulted him.

"Surely it wasn't that bad."

"I'll tell you what the waiter said, you will find it disturbing."

"What did he say?"

MacGyver saw the bartender trying to leave. "Swain, Buffer, escort that waiter over here please." Swain and Buffer walked towards him and seeing them approaching he went to them.

"What did you say about our Australian guests?"

"It was a joke," the bartender responded.

"It was no bloody joke to me!" MacGyver said.

"What did you say?" she asked the waiter again. He remained quiet.

"Tell her or I will!"

He told her in French what he said to Spider. Looking horrified, she looked at MacGyver who nodded her head.

"You disgrace every Frenchmen, woman, and child with what you said. You leave now! You will be sent back to France at once. Your actions tonight could cause a diplomatic incident between France and Australia, leave at once!"

He turned and walked quickly towards the door while she spoke to two guards who follow the waiter out. Turning to the three of them, "On behalf of the French people, and myself, we apologize for what just happened here tonight."

"Spider?"

"Yes, MacGyver?"

"Anything you want to say to our host?"

"I accept your apology, Ma'am, it wasn't your fault it was his."

"Thank you but he shouldn't have said what he said in the first place. Please enjoy your evening."

"We will, thank you," Mike said.

"What did he say?" Spider asked

"You don't want to know, come on let's get you that beer you asked for," MacGyver said as she walked over to the bar with Spider next to her.

Ten minutes later, MacGyver watched Mike and Kate dance around the dance floor when she heard from behind her, "care for a dance?" She turns around to see Jim Roth there smiling at her.

"Love to." He stepped aside and she put her and on his as they walk to the dance floor.

Turning to each other and stepping closer, they put their hands in each other's arms, and they begin to dance around the floor. Mike noticed them.

"Kate." She looked and saw them too.

"I didn't know he was invited, I thought he was still on that mission."

"Perhaps he finished up sooner than expected."

"Could be."

"So Captain, what happened to your mission?" MacGyver asked Jim.

"Completed this morning."

"Until next time."

"True, and you're a good dancer."

"you're not too bad yourself."

"Thank you, years of practice."

"Ahh... and here I thought it was a SAS thing."

"That too."

"So, how long are you in town for?"

"Until my next mission, whatever it's going to be."

"Or where."

"True. I've noticed your metals, you must be some hero."

"No, I was just doing what I was trained to do."

"Ahh, humble too. So, how long are you in town for?"

"Couple more days then patrol, then back home."

" If you don't mind me asking, how about a date? That is if I'm in town at the same time."

"A date... I don't know, depends on when."

"When we're both back home."

"I can handle that."

"I'll give you my number and you can text me when you're in port."

"Ok, and work it from there," she said.

"Yeah."

They dance while talking until the song ended. Then they went to get a drink talking for a minute. Mike and Kate walked over and joined them and they all were talking when the French Lieutenant interrupted and asked Mike for a dance. Offering his arm, he leads her to the dance floor. They dance while Kate, Jim and MacGyver continue to talk. Some of the crew walked over to talk to them and comment about the dancing between the two couples, then they ask MacGyver and Kate for a dance which they accepted.

"You know X, Nav's missing out on the fun."

"I agree, MacGyver." Then they returned to dancing with their partners.