CH 62

As MacGyver walked past the guardhouse she gave the guards a wave. Then she got her phone out of her pocket and smiled when she saw that Jim had shown up on his motorbike.

"Hey! Good timing! I was just going to call for a taxi"

"Why call a taxi when you've got me. So... shore leave."

"Yeah, so take me home." She sorted out her bag and put the jacket and helmet on and climbed onto the back of the bike. Turning the bike around, Jim headed for home.

When they arrived home MacGyver got right into her routine. She got into the shower where she welcomed Jim joining her. Afterwards, they spent time in bed making love. That night they went out to dinner then stopped for some groceries and had an early night.

Two days later MacGyver was in the supermarket getting things she needed to take with her onto Hammersley for her afternoon shift when her phone alerted to a text message, they were being crash-sailed. She quickly finished getting what she needed and went up to the counter. After putting everything through, she put her things in the boot and drove home. She changed while calling Jim only to get his answerphone.

Leaving a message, "Hi Hon, sorry I won't be home, Hammersley's been crash-sailed. I'll call you later, love you."

Grabbing her seabag she drove to the senior sailor car park. Getting her bag from the back of the car she walked to the security gate showing her ID then ran towards Hammersley.

MacGyver dropped her bag in her cabin then went to find out what was going on. When everyone has assembled on the back of the boat Kate and the lieutenant commander showed up.

"Hammersley crew this is Lieutenant Commander Steve Coburn our new CO," Kate introduced.

LT Commander Coburn stepped forward to address the crew. "I'm looking forward to getting to know each of you over the next few weeks. X, you can take her out and can one of you show me the captain's cabin."

"I'll show you, Sir, I'm Petty Officer June Roth, everyone calls me MacGyver, Sir."

"Thank you, MacGyver"

"Hammersley crew dismissed," Kate called out. The crew turns in unison and then heads for the hatch.

MacGyver led the captain to his cabin and then tells him, "Sir, up the stairs here will lead you to the bridge."

"Thank you again, MacGyver," as he entered his cabin and she walked up to the bridge.

"X, why the crash-sail?"

"Mayday call, we'll be back about one in the morning."

"So much for our shore leave."

"Yeah, but how was your's?"

"It was short but great, you?"

"Same here." Kate gave the departure orders and Hammersley left port to head to the mayday.

The crew spent much of the cruise talking about what shore leave they did have. Upon reaching the distressed boat, Charge and Two Dads were sent over to see if they could fix the problem with their engine while Steve spent some time getting to meet some of the crew. They ended up having to tow the boat back to port.

MacGyver received a text from Jim and she sent a text back.

It was after two in the morning when Hammersley docked. All those not on watch hit the rack for some much-needed sleep. The next morning the crew started loading the ship's supplies on board. MacGyver was with Dutchy going over the list as each box was taken on board.

"MacGyver, why do you have both the medical and the food list?" Dutchy asked.

"Well, 'cause I'm not only the chef but the medic as well."

"Swain's the medic."

"Yeah, I know, but I like to make sure we've got everything on board. Don't worry you will get used to it."

"You could help take the boxes on board."

"Dutchy... I know you're new here, but you need to understand how we do things. Ask any of the crew."

"I will," he said with a frown.

"Dutchy, MacGyver always double checks everything. If even one item that's on the list is not on board, she lets the captain know and then he gets RO to find out where the missing box is." Two Dads explained.

"Really."

"Yep, it can be anything from flour or coffee to toilet paper."

"Ouch, you gotta have that."

MacGyver smiled. "True, and medical supplies are very important."

"Why Doesn't Swain handle that part?"

" He handles what's in the wardroom. It's the items from here on the wharf that go onto Hammersley which are important."

"Alright, I get it."

When all of the boxes are on board, MacGyver went to check things over again and then to talk to Swain about the medical supplies. When she was finished she walked up and onto the bridge.

"X we can't leave port."

The captain turned to her... "Excuse me? We are leaving port Petty Officer."

"All due respect, Sir, cannot, we are seven boxes short from the supply order."

"What's missing?" Kate asked and MacGyver showed her the clipboard. Kate then showed Steve and pointed out the items that did not have a mark. Then she turns the page to see what other items are missing.

"Sir we need to find out where these items are, especially the medical supplies."

"And you're sure that they're not on board," he asked frustrated.

"I triple checked everything, Sir."

"Sir, she does double and triple check everything."

"Sir, I know the CO of the supply depot and he told me that there has been boxes and supplies that have been disappearing since he started there."

"Does NAVCOM know about this?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Ok, I'll call NAVCOM about this."

"Ahh... Sir... RO already called the supply depot about the missing boxes and they're sending out the ones we didn't get. X signed the paperwork for the replacement boxes." MacGyver said.

"Ok," he turned to RO, "Call the depot and let them know about the missing boxes." Then he passed RO the clipboard.

He looked at the list, "I'm on it now, Sir" making the call.

Fifteen minutes later MacGyver and Kate were checking to make sure the seven boxes that were needed were indeed delivered to Hammersley. With everything now accounted for, Kate signed the delivery confirmation forms, handed them to the driver who also signed and then the driver passed back a copy, got into the van and drove back to the port depot. Kate and MacGyver walk up onto Hammersley.

"Everything's onboard, Sir."

"Very well, X."

Ten minutes later they left port and headed out to start their patrol. After two weeks out to sea they stopped off at an island where the captain decided to have some R&R for the crew. Most of the crew were on the beach playing touch rugby with a couple of the crew armed and standing watch because of the crocs in the area. MacGyver was one of those on watch when Two Dads accidentally kicked the ball into the trees.

"Go and get it Two Dads," Kate said.

"I'll go with him," MacGyver said as she followed Two Dads down a narrow path.

Looking around, "there it is," Two Dads said as he walked close to the edge of a swampy area.

"Stop!" MacGyver yelled.

Two Dads stopped in his tracks and turned to MacGyver.

"What's up?"

MacGyver picked up a branch, broke some of the branches off then it passed it to him. "Try going under it with this and lift it up," she suggested to Two Dads. He did as she said and was able to get it out and into his hands in seconds.

"Thanks MacGyver," as he turned around he noticed her walking and looking around at the ground.

"What is it?"

"Footprints, at least a day, two old. Someone else is here, or at least were recently. At least five different sets of footprints." She continued to follow them then stopped ten meters away from a fallen tree.

"Two Dads, get the captain."

"Why?" Then he walked over and saw what MacGyver had found.

"What the..."

"Poachers." There were skinned crocodiles and the holes where their nests were. MacGyver pointed out what she was looking at. "Egg nest, poachers."

"Hey! MacGyver! Two Dads! What's taking so long, come on now." Dutchy called out.

"Dutchy, get the captain now! I found something that he needs to see," MacGyver yells back.

Dutchy ran back to the beach, "Sir, MacGyver said that she found something that you need to see." The crew and the Captain then ran to where Two Dads and MacGyver were waiting and stopped short when they saw the butchered crocs.

"The mongrels! They even took the eggs!" Steve exclaimed.

"There were at least five men," MacGyver told him.

"How do you know?" Dutchy asked.

"Footprints. And with this at least a day or two old. Sir we are going to need a camera to take photos of the footprints and of this," she pointed to the dead crocs.

"I agree," Swain said.

"Ok, do it." Steve agreed.

An hour later, Steve contacted Maxine about what was found and had RO send copies of the photos to her. Then they set sail for a town not too far away for a goodwill visit.

MacGyver was on the back of the boat making a call. She smiled when she saw his face. "Hi hon," she greeted him.

"Hey, how's your patrol?"

"Busy. How did your training go?"

"Good. So where are you? I can hear music in the background."

"A Goodwill visit to a small town. Earlier today we stopped off on an island for some R&R. Two Dads kicked the football into the trees."

"Sounds like him."

"Yeah, anyway I went with him 'cause the area we were in is croc central. While we were getting the ball I found six skinned crocs and their eggs were missing from the nest. It appeared to be three females and three males who had just laid their eggs."

"That's just horrible!"

"It is why we are here actually, the captain's gone to talk to the police. I did some research on the crocs."

"Oh, what did you find out?"

"This is the time of year when the females lay their eggs and that one croc skin is worth over five thousand dollars on the black market. The eggs are worth about three hundred each and each female lays between forty to sixty eggs."

"Whew, that's a lot of money."

"Yeah, it is. Jim croc poaching is a million-dollar business here."

"Well, I hope that you catch them."

"Yeah, same here."

"How is the new captain?"

"Steve Corburn? Seems ok. I've gotta go, We'll be back in Cairns the day after tomorrow."

"Ok, love you and take care."

"Love you too. Bye."