CH 3
It was the next morning when they finally docked. Kate finished up with the reports before she and the lieutenant left Hammersley and got into the waiting car and headed to NAVCOM. when they walk into Maxine's office. Everyone from the ball pen could hear Kate yelling at the lieutenant and at Maxine.
They all could see how angry Kate was when she walked out of Maxine's office and she went to the hospital to see how Mike and Swain are doing. She learns that Swain and Mike are in the ICU and she could see Mike for a few minutes.
When she walk out of the hospital hour later her phone rings "Kate McGregor hello"
"lieutenant McGregor, rear admiral Mcdonald"
"Yes sir"
"i want to see you tomorrow morning when you can"
"Yes sir i'll be there" Then they hung up.
Kate returned back to Hammersley for a couple of hours then went home after a long tiring few days.
The next morning Kate walked into the rear admiral McDonald office, they saluted each other "sit down Lieutenant" Kate sat down just as he did.
"I've read captain Brown reports about what you done in the six months while on ANZAC, i'm impress"
"thank you sir"
"I've also read your report about the boarding that went wrong, you did the wisest thing in having the boarding team jump or otherwise it would have been a disaster for all concerned. But what surprise me is that you single handle took down four men on boat and save the eight boarding team and the driver lives from certain death" he shook his head "Cause of you risking your life you are being recommended for the victoria cross lieutenant" Kate was shocked
"thank you sir"
"That not all Ambassador Davis said that you, chief petty officer O'Brian and petty officer Mathews are being recommended for the star of gallantry for risking your lives in saving the four Americans who were pin down by the enemy whom you three took down and return with their wounded."
"I've met Ambassador Davis over a year ago sir"
"Yes i know, he remembers you and commander Flynn"
"I thought he might sir"
"Yes, now with what is happening on Hammersley, I've read all the reports so far including your report. You did an amazing job acting as captain as well as being able to catch the ones who were responsible for wounding commander Flynn and petty officer Blake. I read what you done, on how the boarding team board the boat, it was bit unautherdocks but the outcome was worth it"
"thank you sir and what was surprising was what they were protecting"
"Yes that was a surprise alright I did some checking out thanks to the numbers on the box, they were stolen from a western australian mine last month. But there was four cases stollen"
"four then some where there are two more but what are they for"
"That a million dollar question lieutenant" Kate thought about it
"Terrorist" Kate said
"Terrorist" he said looking at Kate
"Yes sir Madeline Cruise from ASCO is leader of the terrorist task force after the terrorist attack at a bar on Samsaj island last year."
"I'll inform her that there might be a connection"
"Yes sir, what going to happen to Hammersley"
"Your back as XO and we trying to find a lieutenant commander"
"i understand sir"
"In the meantime Hammersley a ship stopper without a coxswain and captain"
"I'll inform the crew sir"
"Ok is there anything else i should know about"
"lieutenant andrews i've sent you my report about him sir"
"I've read it, lieutenant you did good there. How did it go with commander White yesterday"
"It wasn't good sir, she told me that I shouldn't send a boarding team over knowing what happened before. I told her straight that I knew about what happened to the boarding team and I knew what I was doing and the boarding team backed me up one hundred percent since we did it before a couple years ago. But I also had a snipper to take out the engines while both HRIB's distracted the men on board. plus since there was a lot of gun fire. The men on board didn't know about the sniper. She basically told me that Hammersley should have left the boat alone and she would have sent another patrol boat after them. I told her that we were close and knew the crew wanted the task of taking them down after what they did to commander Flynn andDutchy and Swain. It was a great outcome but commander white doesn't see it that way sir"
"Well you did great and your plan did work. you have come along way lieutenant"
"thank you sir" they talk for another twenty minutes before Kate walks out of his office looking relaxed and happy.
When she returned back to Cairns she went to see Swain and Mike. Week later Kate was walking towards the elevators when she saw who was walking out of them "Lieutenant McGregor"
"Ms cruise"
"Do you know where commander Flynn is"
"Why do you want to know"
"I got orders for him to take me to Samaj island"
"where did this orders come from Ms Cruise"
"Why are you asking me these questions"
"As second in command i do have a right so are you going to answer them"
"Ok they came from fleet command" Kate was alarm with what Ms Cruise said.
"May i see the orders" she got the sheet of paper out and pass it to Kate to read
"Well are you going to tell me where commander flynn is or not lieutenant"
"I don't know who sent you these orders Ms Cruise cause a guaranteed that it not from rear admiral McDonald" she pass Ms Cruise the paper back
"what the hell are you talking about, of course they came from fleet command"
"Ms Cruise rear admiral McDonald knows Hammersley a ship stopper without a captain and helmsman. They are both in barry general hospital Ma'am. They were wounded a few days ago along with Dutchy. So i don't know who sent you that approval but it certainly not from fleet command. If you will excuse me i got work to do" then she walked towards the elevators.
When she walks into the ball pen she walks over to give lieutenant Daryl smith the paperwork. "Are you ok" he asked
"Just saw Ms Cruise"
"Oh she was in here talking to commander white few minutes ago"
"About what"
"Hammersley, commander white let her use Hammersley to take her some island"
"I know orders from fleet command, but it can't be from them"
"Why that"
"Rear admiral McDonalds knows that Hammersley a ship stopper" she look over to Mike office then back to Daryl
"Can you call fleet command and patch it through to Mike office"
"sure"
"thanks" Kate walked around and into Mike's office. She looks through the window till the phone rings. she sat down as she pick it the receiver up
"Kate McGregor hello"
"Lieutenant McGregor, Rear Admiral MacDonald, you wanted to talk to me"
"Yes sir. I spoke to Ms Cruise a few minutes ago. She said you gave her approval for hammersley to take her to Samaji island and she asked where commander flynn is. Commander white let her take Hammersley to Samaji island. I saw the orders myself sir"
"I didn't send no approval for her to use Hammersley, i know it a ship stopper and so dose commander white are you sure it came from here"
"Yes sir, it has your email address on it. the only thing i can think of was your email address was hack"
"I'll get it checked out, lieutenant thanks for letting me know about this."
"Yes sir"
"How is commander flynn doing" Kate smile
"He getting better sir and was pleased that you put me no his boat sir"
"that good to know what about the other sailor"
"Swain, he will be home tomorrow getting plenty of TLC from Sally his wife and Chloe, his little princess"
"I'm sure they would be looking ford to having him home also"
"Yes sir"
"I'll look into the email matter thanks for calling"
"your welcome sir" then they hung up.
Kate walks out of Mike's office. Daryl walk over to her "How did it go"
"Orders didn't come from fleet command, i think his email account was hack"
"But the password get change twice a week"
"He looked into it. I better get back to the ship, talk to you later"
"Sure" Kate turned and walked towards the exit.
The next day Swain was released from the hospital, it would be at least two weeks before he could return back to his sea duties. So for now he is enjoying spending time with his family. Kate saw Mike and told him about what happened the day before at NAVCOM.
"Any idea who Maxine sent to Samaji island"
"Childers"
"Ok" they talked for an hour before Mike had his physio. So Kate left to do some shopping.
Three days later Kate received a call from NAVCOM. "Kate McGregor hello"
"Kate it Daryl, Hammersley been crash sailed"
"what we haven't got a captain and helmsman"
"I know, i spoke to rear admiral Mcdonald about the orders, we got a temporary helmsman for this task and your acting captain"
"Ok send text messages to all but swain about the crash sail."
"It been done"
"Great why the crash sail"
"Pick up two passengers, Ms Cruise and captain Roff"
"ok send the corantants to Hammersley"
"Will do, good luck and fair winds" then they hung up.
Almost an hour later Hammersley left port and headed north. Kate remembers the petty officer from when she was on HAMAS ANZAC the second time. He remembers her.
On the way to the island Kate was reading a sheet of paper that RO passed to her. "Boss are you going to be attending the award ceremony next week"
"don't know dingo, it would all depends if we going to be crash sailed or not"
"I hope you do make it"
"thanks" Kate turn when dutchy and two dads walk up the steps
"boss why are we been crash sailed" Two dads asked
"Why were you and bomber in the middle of something" Making the crew laugh
"no ma'am"
"why have we been crash sailed" Dutchy asked
"We been task to pick up two passaugers"
"what we not a taxi service who are we picking up" charge asked
"Take a wild guest" kate said
"Not Ms Cruise" Two dads said
"Yes and Jim"
"you know them" dingo asked while looking at the crew
"Yeah we work the SAS few times, they good" Two dads said
"and this Ms Cruise"
"Cold as ice"
"Is she worse than the boss here, sorry ma'am"
"Why did you ask that" Charge asked
"When I was overseas doing my tour, the boss here replaced our lieutenant who was seriously wounded. She was hard on all of us, and some the officers know her by reputation as princess purefit and the ice queen"
"She was like that when she was first assigned to the old Hammersley. But she has mallow since then but she still hard but firm as well" Charge said
"How did you manage to do that to her"
"Commander Flynn gave her some advice after what happen at a bucks party that was recorded on evidences tap, she saw it and wasn't happy" Charge said
"what was on it" Two dads asked
"spider dressing up as the boss here at chefo buck party, someone recorded it. when boss here saw it, she saw red and made spider scrub the toilets and showers with a toothbrush" Ro said
"I remember chefo sharing that story about what happen" Dingo said
"what chefo was on ANZAC" charge asked
"Yeah he was, he spoke a lot about the crew on here, share some funny stories like about the crabs" Kate charge and RO laugh about it
"Poor spider, we gave him hell and chefo he couldn't stop laughing about it" Charge said laughing.
"We sure had a lot of great memories back then" RO said
"Remember what happened to thor" Kate said smiling
"Hammersley mascot" Dingo asked
"Yes, i'm sure RO and Charge will share that story"
"What happened?" Dingo asked.
Everyone who was on the bridge laughed as they shared some stories about what happened to them over the five years and with the formal crew members. When they reach the island Kate sends the HRIB to the beach. When Jim and Ms Cruise get on they return back to Hammersley, then they return to home port.
When Ms Cruise walked up the steps Jim was behind her. "Lieutenant where the captain of this ship" Ms Cruise asked
"i'm the acting captain Ms Cruise, what can i do for you"
"I want your RO to send this encrypted message to ASCO" she showed Kate the pen drive.
Kate turn to RO "ro send what on the pen drive"
"Yes boss" he stood up and walk over to her, she pass him the pen drive then he walk down to the comcen
"how long before we return back to Cairns"
"About midnight"
"good" then she turned around and walked off the bridge.
"hi jim"
"Kate it great to see you, Dutchy told me that you're acting captain"
"I knew he would"
"what happen to Mike"
"He and swain was shot after a boarding went wrong, i wasn't here when it happen"
"So there no captains"
"none at the monet, how things with you"
"been busy with this tearist thing"
"Has Ms Cruise inform you about the cases of semtex"
"no what cases" Kate fills Jim about the boat that the boarding team boarded and what was found. Jim was shocked by this
"I had no idea Kate, if i had known i would have kept an eye out for them. With the two cases it can cause a lot of damage even worse"
"I know, but what information is ms cruise not passing on that could be important"
"Need to know crap" Dutchty said
"that one thing commander flynn hated" Kate said
"I agree," Dutchy said.
It was the next morning when Hammersley dock after attending to some may day calls and including towing a pleasure boat back to Cairns. Once everything was done Kate went to NAVCOM to drop off the paperwork then went to see Mike at the hospital.
Week later Kate flew down to Sydney for the medal ceremony. She and the crew all received their overseas tour medal and pin to go with it. Kate and a number of crew received other metals for the work they did. The crew was shocked when the admiral of the fleet presented Kate the victoria cross for what she did.
Afterwards families gather around their loved ones. Kate walked over to ambassador Davis and talked to him for a few minutes then to the captain of ANZAC.
When she returned home later that afternoon, she sorted out her pins for her uniform after she got changed.
Two days later Mike walked out of hospital, he was happy he could go home and even more happy that Kate is taking him home and spending the evening with him.
Two days later Hammersley left port for a month patrol the crew was happy to have swain and Mike back. Mike and Kate keep their engagement and metals Kate received a secret for a while.
Two months later they learn that Ms Cruise is behind the terrorist attack by playing both sides. both HIBS went after the other plan. "Whatever you do, don't shoot the engine" Kate said over her radio.
When they shot the guy, they managed to get on the boat, Swain went up top to slow it down and turn it around and started heading out to sea since there was still quarter a tank of fuel. Kate ordered the crew back onto the two HRIBS leaving Swain and Jim on board as they went to cut the wires.
Kate got both HRIB's together, she got the ones on lightning to go over to thunder. Then she drove lightning towards the boat while thunder headed back to Hammersley. Kate follow the boat close to the other plans, she check her watch when there was thirty seconds left when swain appeared with the two cases
"Get on now, you to Jim.'' Jim appeared and both he and Swain jumped onto the HRIB with the cases then Kate turn around and hit the throttle full speed "Get down" Kate yelled they got down just as the boat exsploded.
Kate lifted her head as she turned towards Hammersley, she looked back to see the massive fireball from where the boat was. Kate slow down as they got close to the ship. Mike and the crew were on the boat deck just as the HRIB was being raised and put in its spot. All three of them got off with the two cases just as the crew cheered and clapped.
"It finally over" mike said
"Yes it is"
"you took a big risk go back to the boat Kate"
"it was worth it and i did help save their lives"
"yes you did"
"where ms Crusie"
"she under a rest, she try to shot Dutchy but he was lucky"
"what happen"
"He removed the bullets from her gun this morning when she was up on the bridge"
"He was lucky alright"
"We got a mess to clean up and then we can go home"
"Sounds good to me"
Few hours later Hammersley dock. Ms Cruise was handed over to ASCO agents after they found out what she had been doing in the past few months.
Since the terrorist threat is over. Maxine was transferred to a new posting overseas as part of the exchange program. She was transferred to San diego. Mike was posted at NAVCOM as the new CO. Kate was acting captain with a lieutenant as XO.
Month later Mike and Kate invited the crew around to Mike's new house for celebrations. The crew was shocked to see buffer, nav, spider, chefo and other formal crew members. Plus they all got to meet Mike's family and Mike and Kate's friends.
But what was most shocking of all was what Mike and Kate were wearing with Steve Marshall and Nav. They were shocked to see the navy minister show up on time. The crew realized it was a wedding that they were witnessing. Mike and Steve was in there uniforms and kate wearing an ivory dress and nav wearing sea green. Afterwards the crew gave them a hard time about keeping it a secret
"sir why didn't you tell us" Dutchy said
"Cause we know what you are all like"
"Meaning" spider said
"Chefo buck party" Mike said. They all laugh remembering what happened.
Everyone enjoyed themselves and there was a wedding cake with loose lace and navy groom and bride on top of the four tier wedding cake. The next day Mike and Kate flew to Taihi for a two week-long honeymoon.
When they returned it was the next day there was a medal ceremony. Jim and Swain received a cross of valor for what they did. but most shocking that Kate received the conspicuous service cross for outstanding achievement, exceptional skills and judgment when she returned back to the boat for Swain and Jim knowing what the risk factor was like. Afterward every one went around to Mike and Kate place for another celebration.
Two days later Hammersley left port for its patrol. Two Months later the crew had a double celebration. Sally was four months pregnant and Kate received her lieutenant commander stripe which made both her and Mike very happy.
Five months later Swain was next to Sally when she gave birth to their son and at the same time Kate learned that she was pregnant which made Mike very happy. Because of her pregnancy Kate got a shore posting and a new captain took over Hammersley.
Seven months later Kate gave birth to a boy, then a girl fifteen months later. Kate relies she made number of best decision by got to fleet command three years ago. If she hadn't then anything could of happen and the best decision of all was marrying the man she truly loves and have his children which was created out of love they have for each other.
The End