CH 35

When it was lunch time some of the crew showed up for lunch then it was the SAS and the youth. They all got their lunch and walked into the junior dining room, sat down and started eating. While the SAS went into the senior dining room.

Two Dads went into the junior's dining room, "How was your training with Captain Roth and his men?"

"Hard, I didn't realise you have to be so fit in the Army."

"It's the same in the Navy as well."

"We couldn't help but notice that a woman, the cook, was out there doing exercises, what was her nickname?"

"MacGyver, that's what we call her cause of the number of things she can do, she's an amazing woman."

"You like her."

"No way, the Navy has rules about relationships while on the same boat. Anyway her and Captain Roth are an item." Some of them look at Two Dads shocked.

"No way that hotty cook and Captain Roth, no way!"

"Yep."

"Two Dads!"

They all jumped and looked at the doorway to see MacGyver standing there with an angry look on her face, "What is going on here?"

"We were just talking MacGyver."

"You mean about my private life?" she said yelling at him the others saw the look on Two Dads face.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And Captain Roth's private life."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"You have no right to talk to others about any one's private lives, Bridge now!" she said in a commanding tone. Two Dads walked out of the junior's dining room and towards the bridge.

Then she turned to the group, "if I ever hear any of you talk about what was said in here, note this, it will get back to me. You are here to train if you want to join the army and not to talk about other people's private lives, do I make myself clear!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good and if you think that I'm just blowing smoke, just ask Captain Roth about my wall torcher."

Then she closes her eyes, "ahh, Captain Roth."

"MacGyver I heard you yelling and my name was mentioned."

She turned around to face him, "Two Dad's, I sent him to the bridge."

"Ok."

They leave the dining room when she stops Jim and then they listen, "woo, man, that MacGyver sure is one tough woman. My gosh, I almost hit the roof!"

"We all did and Two Dads, did you see the look on his face when she yelled?"

MacGyver walked away heading to the bridge and Jim walked with her.

"What happened?"

"Two Dads and his big mouth, he was telling them about our private lives."

"No wonder you were yelling at him."

"Yeah, he knows not to talk about other people's private lives, but he didn't listen and look what happens."

"True, but you were wearing that exercise outfit, I was almost distracted myself."

"Self-control, Jim."

"Yeah, true."

When they walked up onto the bridge, Baxter and Kate were standing in front of Two Dads.

"MacGyver you ordered Two Dads up here, why?" Baxter asked.

"Two dads tell them what you did."

"I told the group in the junior's mess about MacGyver and captain Roth being together."

"You did what?" Baxter said.

"You were talking about MacGyver and Jim's personal and private lives to a group of troubled youth? Why would you do that" Kate said.

" Making conversation, X." Two Dads replied.

"If you were going to talk to them, don't you bring up other crew members or anyone else's private life to them or anyone else without them present. Two Dads, do you realize what you have done?" MacGyver said

"No, Ma'am."

"You gave them ammo against Jim here," MacGyver started, "it will affect him trying to control the group, you might have stuffed up the first survival project Jim has been trying to get started in the past three years. I helped him get this started because I know how important it is to him. This trip was going to be a trial run to see how it goes and you stuffed it up. Not just for him but his men who volunteered to help out for the week. They are here to help those troubled youths who have been through hell. Add being in trouble with the law, low self-respect for themselves and others and low self-esteem and you screw it up in one minute by giving them personal information. I hope you are happy now, Two Dads! Jim and the justice system was Hoping that the army can put them on the right track." MacGyver said yelling at him.

"Jim is there anything you want to say?" Kate asked

"June said it all and I agree with her. She helped me get this project started, and it's all over before it started," he turned around and walked off the bridge. MacGyver shook her head then turned around and walked off the bridge as well.

"Jim," he stopped and turned to her. "Come on," she held onto his hand and pulled him to the hatch and then outside on the boat deck where they both hugged.

"I'm sorry Jim, I know you've been looking forward to this trip with the youth."

"I was ready to deck him for what he's done."

"I know, but I'm pleased you didn't," they pulled back and looked at each other.

"I'll go and let the men know it's been cancelled."

"Not now," she rests her head on his chest embracing as they look out at the sea. Ten minutes later one of Jim's men walked over to them.

"Jim" they turn toward the voice.

"Yes, Terry?"

"The guys and I, we were told about what happened, we want to know what's going to happen now."

"We're cancelling."

"Sorry Mate, I know you have been working on this for a while."

"Yeah, I know, I'll tell the others."

"Jim," June says to him.

"Don't cancel, not yet. I've got an idea you're going to love."

"I am?"

"Yep, let me find out if it can be done then I'll tell you about it." then she walked toward the hatch and went inside.

"What is she planning?" Terry asked.

"You never know with her," Jim replied, " but we're going to find out what is it soon enough."

MacGyver spoke to both Kate and Baxter about her plan.

"You've got to be kidding."

"Why not? Who knows, Jim might knock some sense into him."

"Does Jim know about this?"

"Not yet, but when I tell him and he'll approve it, then will you agree to it?"

"Yes, if he agrees to it."

"Ok, good," leaving the bridge she went looking for him. She found him in Austere.

"A word," he follows out of the room and over to a corner.

"Jim, do you still want this trip to go ahead?"

"Yes, I do, you know that."

"Then how about you do it with an extra going along with you."

He smiled, "you?"

"No, Two Dads for his punishment, and you can deal with him any way you see fit."

"You must be joking, I rather it was you."

She smiles at him as she puts her hand up to his face, "I know, but gossip's one thing you don't need right now and with Two Dads, at least you can keep an eye on him and teach him the SAS ways that would make him beg to return to Hammersley."

"You are a cruel woman, June, but I do like the way you think... but I don't know..."

"Talk to your men and then let me know your answer, I'll be in the galley."

"Sure." Jim went to talk to his men while MacGyver returned to the galley to finish up what she was doing.

When Hammersley arrived at Penfold Island both RHIBS left Hammersley with the SAS, the youth, Two Dads and all the stuff they needed for the week. Jim's men had agreed to have Two Dads along after what happened as a punishment. They've got two radios with them and a SAT phone for emergencies, and MacGyver gave Jim her emergency beacon for back up. She and the others watch both RHIBS head to the beach.

"MacGyver any idea what Jim has in mind for Two Dads punishment?" Kate asked.

"You can ask him the next time we see him, his men are involved with whatever he's got planned."

"You're a bad girl MacGyver," Buffer said.

"Me? Never, but I do feel sorry for Jim and his men having to deal with Two Dads. I hope they know what they got themselves into."

"Well, they agreed to take two Dads with them," Nav said.

"Yep."

Once the RHIBS returned, Hammersley started their engines. They all wave to Jim and the others and they wave back.

That night on the island, everyone was having tin baked beans for dinner. "Leo, why did you join the navy?" one of the youth asked.

"I had no choice... well I did, it was the Navy or prison."

That got everyone's attention. "You got into trouble? What did you do wrong that got you busted?" one of them asked.

"Petty crime, I got caught once too often so my parents spoke to my lawyer who spoke to the judge who spoke to me and then told me to join the Navy and keep my nose clean for seven years. If I screw up and end up at a Captain's table, it will be a year in prison and my parents would take me out of their will. But, if I stay in for the full seven years they will keep me in their will."

"Wow, that is not much of an option."

"It is to me, been in here for three years so far."

"What would you get if you stay for the full seven years?"

" A quarter of my inheritance, I've got two sisters and a younger brother."

"So it's worth it to be in the Navy."

"Yeah, sometimes, this is my second posting."

"What do you mean, 'second posting'?"

"I was on a frigate before I was posted to Hammersley a couple of months ago."

"So you don't know the crew well."

"They are ok, sometimes it depends on the situation."

"That woman, MacGyver, she's so young. Did she sleep her way up the ranks?"

"That's enough from you Andrews," Jim said.

"It's ok, Captain, I can answer his question," Two Dads said. "Not MacGyver, she's one of the most honest hard working sailors I've ever come across. She's done a tour overseas, hell, she's a war hero. if you saw her medals you wouldn't have said what you just did. And, if she was here, she would torture you with her exercises and that's just for starters."

"What medals did she get?" one of the girls asked.

"Two Stars of courage, Bravery Medal, Star of Gallantry, Commendation of Gallantry, Afghanistan Service Medal, Humanitarian overseas Medal, Natural Emergency Medal, Australian Defence Medal, and Champion Sharp Shooter Metal, and all three citation pins. She's one of few people in history to have received all three of them."

"Wow! And she's what? petty…."

"Petty Officer, the youngest in RAN history."

"How old is she?" one guy asked.

"Twenty four," Jim said.

"That is young," one girl said.

"That and she is one woman who you can always depend upon in any situation that arises. She watches all our backs and these guys here. If you saw her in action like I do you would be shocked." Two Dads said.

"Captain Roth, have you seen MacGyver in action?" one of the girls asked.

"Yes, I have, and she risked her life not only by saving us but by helping to complete a mission."

"So... she's a cook and a badass shooter."

"Oh, she's a lot more than that. She's a medic, helmsman, computer genesis, sharpshooter, engineer, electronics technician" Two Dads said.

"Wow, she must be really smart," one guy said.

"She is that and much more," Jim said.