CH 66

"So first time on a patrol boat?"

"Yeah, you?"

"For me, four years. I did have a shore posting for a few weeks, but then I was sent back here just until a replacement could be found. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to find anyone. So I'm going to be here until my contract expires next year."

"Can't they find another chef?"

"It's more than that; they need someone who is a chef, a medic and helmsman, all in one."

"I thought Swain was the helmsman."

"He is, I'm the backup, just in case anything goes wrong."

"Ok."

They continued to talk for a few minutes then McGyver stood and went into the galley to make them a brew and to finish the dishes. Dutchy followed her, and they continued to talk. Through the easy conversation, MacGyver managed to get Dutchy to open up about what ships he'd been on, and about his family. They talked for over an hour before he left to join the crew and the SAS in board games.

Once she finished cleaning up, MacGyver went into her cabin to relax. Picking up a book that was in her cubby hole, she lay down, opened to her marked page and started reading. Ten minutes later, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," she called out.

"X."

"I overheard you and Dutchy talking."

"Yeah, what is it?"

" May I come in?" Kate asked politely.

"Of course, have a seat."

Dutchy happened to be walking by just after Kate entered MacGyver's Cabin. He heard his name mentioned he stopped just outside of the door.

"When I first met him," Kate began, "he froze for a few seconds before he shook my hand, and now it seems that he is keeping his distance from me."

"He must have his reasons. Give him time to adjust; after all he just returned from the Gulf. Something terrible must have happened, and he's bottling it up. One day that bottle is going to blow and when it does we as a crew need to be there for him, a shoulder to lean on. He knows that if he wants to talk about it, I will be there to listen. So, in the meantime, give him a chance to settle in. Give him his space."

"You're right, of course, June. I never thought of it that way. So, what's your impression of him?"

"Bird likes him," MacGyver smiled, and Kate laughed.

"How can you tell?"

"When she showed up to get her dinner, Jim and I were talking to him. He saw her and flashed her a smile, and she started blushing."

"She is too young for him."

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, aye."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, don't worry about Bird. She told Two Dads, Swain, and me that Dutchy could be her hero any day."

Kate laughed, "sounds like I might need to have a little talk with her."

"Don't worry about it, within a month it will be someone else, like the corporal from the SAS."

"You wouldn't try to play matchmaker, would you?"

"Now, would I do something like that?" she said grinning.

"Yes, you absolutely would."

"We shall see."

Kate stood up, "thanks for listening, MacGyver."

"Anytime, X."

Dutchy ducked around the corner when he realised that Kate was leaving.

Kate walked out the door, closing it behind her. MacGyver looked at the door when she heard footsteps stop outside her door. "Come in, Dutchy," she called out.

"How did you know?"

"It's the way you walk, and I saw your reflection in the glass on the photo that's on the wall. You heard what the X and I talk about?"

"I did."

"So, I was right, wasn't I."

"No, you are wrong."

"I'm not. The hurt you're experiencing, it's has to do with either a woman or someone in command. Like possibly an XO that you meant to protect and something went wrong and you blame yourself.

Don't worry you're not the first one that I have seen it happen to. I helped a sailor out when I was over in Iraq. He blamed himself for the death of a crewmate. The shrink on board was useless, but I was able to talk to the guy. I listened to him and gave him the best advice I could, and it helped to bring the walls down. When his contract was up for renewal, he spoke to me about it."

"Did it help him?"

"It did, and he stayed on for another three years. He met his wife on one of the frigates that he had been transferred to. They've been married for four years, have got two children, and another one on the way."

Dutchy looked down to the floor then back up to her.

"I'll be here when you're ready to talk," she said to him.

Dutchy turned to leave when he saw Jim standing in the doorway.

"Captain."

"Dutchy, call me Jim."

"Sorry, Jim, I was…"

"Talking to June, I heard, it's ok mate."

"I'll leave you two to talk, night."

"Night, Dutchy"

Dutchy walked out of the cabin just as Jim entered and closed the door, but just before the door closed, he stopped when he heard Jim.

"What did Dutchy say to you?"

"Dr Roth's lips are sealed, but Mrs Roth wants some love. Come here, Captain, and give me your love," she said giggling.

"Oh, I'll give you some love, alright, June." The door clicks shut, and Dutchy walks away while thinking about what MacGyver had said.

The next day Hammersley arrived at Angel Island. Mike, Jim and the SAS team went to shore bringing all of their gear. It took both RHIBs. Once on shore, Mike and Jim met with the head of security who then instructed Jim where his men could set up. Then he spoke to Mike about using a secure radio channel while Hammersley is close by. With everything in place, Mike returned to the ship.

Later that afternoon a boat appeared on radar. "Sir, we've got a boat on radar heading towards Angel Island," MacGyver announced.

"RO, try calling the boat."

"Yes, Sir." Trying several times and not getting a response, "Captain, they're not answering."

MacGyver picked up the handheld, "Charlie eight two, Jim, are you there?" MacGyver waited.

"Yes June, bord are you?"

"Head ups Jim, we've got a speed boat heading to the island, stand by."

"Copy that." She passed the radio to Mike while Kate called for hands to boarding stations.

Luckily the RHIBs had not yet been brought back on board making it quicker for their deployment. The boarding teams walked quickly down the steps at Hammersley's stern and into the RHIBs. Then they were off to chase the speed boat.

Mike was watching on the radar and EOD; he contacted Jim to let him know where the boat was heading so that they would be prepared to meet the approaching boat.

The boat approached the shore and then quickly turned around and headed back out to sea, heading directly toward Hammersley opening fire.

MacGyver aimed her gun and waited for just the right moment then she fired one bullet hitting the shooter and sending him overboard. The boat was still heading right for them at top speed.

"Sir! Move Hammersley now! The speed boat is heading directly towards you! Do a full reverse hard to starboard!" MacGyver shouted over the radio.

As they watched, Hammersley did reverse and turned sharply around as the speed boat went past, missing Hammersley by mere meters.

MacGyver's RHIB chased after it while the other one went to pick up the body of the man that MacGyver had shot.

MacGyver moved up to the front of the RHIB and took out the engine with one shot, bringing the boat to a stop.

"Charley 8-2, Sir, we stopped the boat."

"Good work MacGyver. Board at your discretion."

"Yes, Sir."

They approached with caution, once they were alongside the speed boat, MacGyver and two dads boarded.

"Bloody hell!" Two dads said when he saw the blocks of semtex.

"Hammersley was the target or possibly another patrol boat. Let's see what we've got in here," she said, picking up a case. Checking the case over she then opened it. "Sir, MacGyver, We've got a bomb on board and two RPGs."

"Is the bomb active?"

"It would be if this boat hit something like Hammersley, Sir. I'm going to dismantle it. Sir, can you let Jim know?"

"Sure, be careful."

"I will." She carefully looked over the bomb and began to dismantle it.

With the bomb now safely in pieces, they towed the speed boat to shore where Jim and a couple of his men are waiting for them.

"Mike told me about what happened, good shooting."

"Thanks, Jim, here's the speed boat, and as you can see, what I did to the bomb."

He looked on the boat, "You amaze me every time."

"So do you. So what would you like for us to do?"

"Take the RPG launchers and Semtext to Hammersley."

"Ok"

The speedboat was taking on water from MacGyvers bullet holes, so they worked quickly loading the Semtex, and the launchers into the RHIB, and then they headed back to Hammersley.

Mike was waiting on the aft deck watching the RHIB as it approached. The boarding party came up onto the boat deck with the Semtex and the launchers. "Well done, MacGyver."

"Thanks, Sir. Now the big question is how the hell did that guy know that the Navy was going to be here, Sir."

"That's an excellent question, and we need to find the answer. Thanks to you telling me to reverse and turn to starboard, You saved Hammersley from being blown out of the water."

"If I hadn't, we wouldn't be standing here right now, Sir."

"True enough."

"I'll go and get cleaned up and get dinner on. I was thinking hot plate tonight if that's ok with you, Sir."

"Sounds good to me."

"Great! I'll add onions as well," she said, smiling as she walked towards the hatch.

Later that night, everyone showed up to the Ambassador's reception in their dress whites. The ambassador and his wife walked over to greet them as soon as they arrived. While Mike did the introductions, he looked around.

"Is everything alright, Commander?"

"I seem to have a crew member missing."

"Sir, she went outside," Two Dads said.

"Excuse me a moment please, Mr Ambassador," Mike said as he walked back outside with the Ambassador following.

"Commander, why are you concerned about your missing sailor? I'm sure he is ok."

Mike and the Ambassador stopped short when they saw what was going on in front of them.

"Would that be your missing crew member? Who is that with her?" As he realised that the missing sailor in question, was a woman. They watched the couple hug and kiss until they pulled apart.

"MacGyver, Jim..." they turned to see Mike there with a man in a suit.

Walking over to where Mike is standing, "Sorry, Sir, when I saw Jim, we wanted a minute alone before going inside."

"I understand. Ambassador Davis, this is Petty Officer June Roth, MacGyver, as she is known by the Navy, and her husband SAS Captain Jim Roth. He's the head of the army's security detail while you're here, Sir."

"It's an honour to meet you, Sir," she said, shaking his hand.

"So, MacGyver,l by any chance did your nickname from that show called MacGyver?" she grinned.

"Yew it did, Sir. I gather you watched the show, Sir?"

"I loved watching it when I was in high school. Don't tell me you do things using duck tape and knife."

"Swiss pocket knife and a paperclip, yes Sir."

"She's good at building things, too," Jim added.

"Like what?"

"She fashioned a timer for a bomb by using string, duct tape, a bag, sling from the first aid box, canteen of water and grenades."

"You will have to tell me how you did that."

"My pleasure, Sir."

"Did it work?"

"Yes, Sir, it did."

As they walk back inside, MacGyver continues telling the ambassador how she made her bomb and what it was that was blown up. Jim and Mike are just watching as MacGyver talks to the ambassador when Kate walks over to them.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, MacGyver's telling the ambassador about blowing up those crates with a MacGyver timer."

"Ahhh."

"Where's the crew?" Mike asked, looking around.

"They're around somewhere."

They heard the ambassador laughing as he and MacGyver make their way over to where Mike, Kate, and Jim were standing.

"Captain, your wife, she's an amazing and talented woman."

"That she is, Sir. June what did you say to the ambassador that made him laugh?"

" I was telling him about the wedding and Kim losing her dress."

"Oh that, yeah, that was fairly funny," Jim said, smiling.

"You were there, Captain?"

"I was, Sir."

"Jim was the best man at the wedding, Ambassador."

"Ahh. What did you think about what your wife did?"

"I was pretty shocked, but I knew she could be full of surprises."

"It sounds like it. Alright, well I hope you all enjoy your evening."

" I'm sure that we will, Ambassador," Kate said. Then he walked away, heading to his other guests.

"i need a drink," MacGyver said.

"I'll come with you," Jim said. They walk over to get drinks and then over to join the crew.

"Bird!"

"Oh, Sorry, MacGyver, my head was in space."

"Ah-huh, checking out Dutchy? You know the rules."

"Yeah, I know, the no relationship with shipmate rule. But, there aren't any rules saying you can't check him out."

Jim grinned while MacGyver laughed. "No, there are no rules about that."

"Bird, you need to find someone your own age," Jim said.

"I know, Sir, but I can still look but can't touch."

"She's got you there, Jim, " MacGyver laughed.