"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to come back to Cairns for Swain's memorial. Spider and I were at sea on HMAS Perth when we got the news. We'd finished up Exercise Talisman Sabre and were heading back to Perth when … when it happened. That afternoon the CO called me up to the bridge …"
Flashback
"Ah, Petty Officer Tomaszewski, I understand that you served on HMAS Hammersley prior to joining us here on Perth."
"Yes sir. I spent just over three years on her." Pete was wondering why he'd been called up here to the bridge. What did his time on Hammersley have to do with anything?
"Is there anyone else on board who is ex-Hammersley crew?"
"Yes sir, Spider, ah Leading Seaman Webb, served on Hammersley with me. He joined her after I did, although we posted off around the same time."
The CO turned aside briefly and spoke to one of the other officers on the bridge. Shortly after Pete heard a tannoy summoning Spider to the bridge.
"When Webb arrives, could you both please come to my cabin?"
He answered, "Yes sir." To himself Pete thought, "What the hell is going on?"
The CO left the bridge, and Pete was left to wait for Spider. He glanced at the other crew on the bridge, but no-one met his eyes. He was starting to worry what had happened to Hammersley. Clearly something was wrong, otherwise why ask after former Hammersley crew?
Just as Pete's thoughts got to this point, Spider arrived in a rush and breathless, clearly wondering why he'd been called to the bridge.
"Hi Buff. What's happening?"
"No idea mate. Come with me. The CO wants us in his cabin." A worried look crossed Spider's face. Despite his concern over what might have happened to Hammersley, Pete couldn't resist the questions that he automatically asked to tease the younger sailor, "What's the matter Spider? You got a guilty conscience?"
"No, no, not at all. Just not used to being called to see the CO. Do you know why he wants to see me? Or is it to see us?"
"No idea what he wants with us. And the sooner we get a move on, the sooner we'll know why. Come on Spider."
The two men left the bridge and walked the short distance to the CO's cabin. Pete knocked on the door and, upon hearing the call to come in, entered the cabin with Spider just behind him.
"Ah, Tomaszewski and Webb. Come in please, and sit down." The CO gestured towards a couple of chairs that were arranged in front of his desk.
Pete sat down with an increasing sense of unease. In his experience, invitations from the CO to sit down invariably led to bad news.
Once they were both settled, the CO started speaking. "Gentlemen, I understand that you both served on HMAS Hammersley not very long ago and are probably acquainted with most of the crew serving on her."
Seeing that Spider wasn't about to open his mouth, Pete answered for them both, "Yes sir. It's been a bit over eighteen months since we both left, but I understand that there hasn't been a great deal of crew movement since then. We probably know most of the crew."
The CO nodded his understanding before continuing, "What I'm going to tell you isn't known to the general public yet. Our ships have been advised because of people like you both who have served on Hammersley and know the crew. There will be an official press release by the government later tonight, but we want former crew such as yourselves to know this before then." The CO paused briefly before looking at both men, who had no idea what he was about to say. "Word has been received that HMAS Hammersley has played a key role in stopping a group of terrorists setting off a dirty bomb in Cairns Harbour. Unfortunately, in doing so, two people were killed. One of them was an Army Captain, SAS I believe, by the name of James Roth."
Spider broke in, "Jim Roth! But we know him." He immediately realised that he had interrupted the captain. "Sorry sir. I apologise for interrupting."
"That's alright Leader, I'm sorry, I didn't realise that you knew him. Well, as well as Captain Roth, a member of Hammersley's crew was also killed – Petty Officer Christopher Blake. I understand that he and Captain Roth were attempting to defuse the bomb and were killed when it exploded."
Pete breathed out and very quietly said "Swain." He hung his head and closed his eyes, willing the tears that were welling in his eyes not to fall, desperately hoping to hold the tears in until later, in private.
Spider looked bewildered. "But sir, if they were successful in stopping a dirty bomb from going off, how were they killed in an explosion?"
"The information we've been given is that they apparently successfully separated the radioactive material from the bomb, but it appears that they were killed when the bomb itself exploded. As I understand dirty bombs, they are made up of both explosive material and also radioactive material. The men stopped it from being a dirty bomb, which could have caused radioactive contamination over a wide area, including the city of Cairns, but the explosive material meant that it was still a bomb. They weren't able to deactivate the explosives in time, and were killed."
End flashback
"The CO was good towards us. He let Spider and I off the rest of our watches that day. The next day, after the news had broken officially, we had a service on board. I understand that a lot of the other ships did that too. There was no question of us being able to get off Perth and head to Cairns for the service. Ship's family doesn't count as real family unfortunately." Pete grimaced and shrugged his shoulders, before having another drink of his beer and then changing the conversation.
So, this is part of a larger story that I started writing ages ago. It's been stuck for quite a while – I totally blame a very busy job – but I thought I might post this little bit, which doesn't give away anything.
I'm hoping that this might inspire me to finish off my story in the not-too-distant future. Keep an eye out for a story called "She is fierce".