The crew of Hammersley have just docked in Cairns for two days' shore leave. Having been informed that they need to return on Saturday to sail at 1300 hours, Dutchy is still wondering where the X is. He has left her a couple of messages but received no reply. He is starting to wonder if she and the boss are away on holiday and finally giving in to their attraction to each other. Of course, he's not the only person to wonder where she is. Charge is surprised to learn that no one knows where she is, and the X is someone who is normally hard to get off the ship for any reason.
The new Coxswain notices that without Kate on the boat, they are not as upbeat as normal. The replacement X is very strict and for this crew, who enjoys having fun, it seems not to be working so well. On this voyage he finds out from Bird that she is planning on training to become a fully qualified medic for the Navy, so he decides to help her out as much as he can so she can reach her target. He also notices how Dutchy is very protective of Bird as well, making sure she is safe and well looked after.
When they sail on Saturday the crew are going to be in for a shock. None of them know about Kate's promotion and that she will be at the helm of Hammersley when they cast off.
Also in Cairns, Maxine is pissed off with Mike and Kate. She is not happy that they get to keep their jobs and everything, while she has to go to Canberra at some stage for another hearing. She tries to get Ryan to side with her over it all and becomes even more angry when he refuses to get involved. Certain he already know what Mike was planning, she starts to accuse him of siding with his father. He tells her that he is not siding with either of them, and that he wants to be left out of it. He has far more important things to deal with.
Back in Sydney the class are busy doing there final test. The rest of the class have noticed the ring on Kate's finger.
At the end, they hand in their test papers and have the afternoon off while Bill and Mike start marking all the papers.
During the afternoon Jarrod puts a few plans into action.
At 2000 hours Mike, Kate, Nikki, Lucy, Bill, and Phil all head out to the local pub to have a few drinks. They all enter the pub together and are so busy talking they don't notice that Jarrod and a number of other senior staff from the base are there. Once they get closer to the group as Bill and Lucy leading the group into the pub and then stepping aside as they approach the group, they see a sign saying congratulations. Mike and Kate stand there shocked.
"Jarrod, I asked you not to say anything," Mike says.
"It wasn't Jarrod, Mike. It was me," replies Lucy.
"Lucy?"
"I know, Mike, but you can't not have a party. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is."
Everyone says their own personal congratulations to Mike and Kate. They spend the evening talking, drinking, dancing and just totally enjoying themselves. Kate notices things with Nikki and Phil are progressing as well. They seem a lot more comfortable with each other.
While they are in the pub, Brad turns up and sees what is going on. He is not happy. He now feels like the other staff on base are in support of this and he doesn't think they have an approved relationship. He decides to snap a few more photos of Mike and Kate and what is going on in the pub before sending them to his personal email account. He accesses his email account via his mobile and forwards them on to Canberra via an email address he found during the week, as he was not happy with what Captain Patterson had done to him about the picture he took of Mike and Kate.
The following morning everyone is in class receiving their test papers back with their marks on them. Kate and Nikki are pleased to have full marks again. As the morning goes on, the class is interrupted by an officer walking up the front to speak to Bill and Mike. The look on Mike's face has Kate worried. He does not look happy.
"McGregor, Lieutenant Moyes come with me please," Mike says as he starts walking from the front of the class towards the back. The other officer also follows them outside and towards Captain Patterson's office.
"Sir," Mike address him as they enter his office.
"I got a phone call from Canberra this morning, along with an email."
"And that has what to do with us, Sir?" Mike asks.
"Well, the email was in regard to you and Lieutenant Commander McGregor." Mike takes a deep breath to control himself.
"Ok, so what's Maxine doing now?"
"Well I'm not sure if Maxine is involved, but the email with the photos are from last night and are from Lieutenant Moyes' email account."
"Bloody hell. Why can't you leave me the hell alone?" Kate says crossly to Brad.
"Sir, what did the brass say?" Mike asks.
"They want this sorted. They want to know if the Lieutenant has any connections with Commander White, and why he is doing this."
"Yes, I would like to know too?" asks Kate, while looking at Brad.
"I don't believe that these two have an approved relationship, Sir."
"Well, they do. It was approved several months ago."
"And how many officers did you sleep with to get your way?" Brad replies to her.
"Kate, don't let him get to you," Mike replies.
"Bloody hell. It's bad enough that Maxine has been doing the same shit as him," Kate replies, looking at him.
"Yes, but regardless of Brad, we have approval. Steve sorted it all and remember it's in my new contract. There is nothing Brad can do about it. Now Lieutenant, do you know Commander Maxine White by any chance?" Mike directs the last part of his conversation towards Brad.
"No, and what's it to you?" Brad spits at Mike.
"Lieutenant, you do not speak to your superiors like that," replies Jarrod in his officer's tone.
"So, why did you think to go over Captain Patterson's head with this matter?"
"Because I felt he was backing and supporting you, plus Princess Perfect has always gotten what she wanted and there is only one way she could have gotten top of the class in everything."
"Lieutenant, are you implying that Lieutenant Commander McGregor slept her way to where she is?"
"Yes, I am."
"And do you have any evidence of this?"
"Only what I sent to Canberra last night and personal information of her childhood before ADFA."
"What the hell are you doing digging into my private life; my life before the Navy."
"Yes good question, Lieutenant . Why did you do that?"
"I did it when we were at ADFA because I felt she was too up herself. Too much of a smart arse, just like she is now." Kate takes a deep breath to try and relax herself. She feels Mike's hand on her back, rubbing up and down in a soft, gentle way. She draws herself from this, reminding herself to stay calm and relaxed and not to let Brad get to her.
"Brad, I told you in ADFA not to dig into my past. You had no right to do that at all and you still don't."
"Kate, is there any truth in what he is saying?"
"No, there isn't. It's just going off the things my mother used to do, and surely Friday's events would have told you a hell of a lot more about me and what I am like."
"Kate, it's just that with two people saying the same thing they starting to ask questions."
"Great. So I'm going to get an earful from Steve tomorrow?"
"Why's that, Mike?"
"Because his put his career on the line for us, for me. Lieutenant, do you have any idea how much trouble you have caused by doing this?"
"A lot, I hope," Brad replies smugly.
"Lieutenant."
"Sorry, Sir. But I honestly don't care what happens to me as long as the truth gets out." The phone in the office rings and Jarrod answers it.
"Mike, what's going to happen Hammersley sailing tomorrow at 1300 hours?"
"I'm not sure, Kate. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."
"Mike, you do believe me, don't you?"
"Kate. Not here, not now. We'll talk about this once we get home."
"Fine," she says crossly.
I'm not going to get in an argument with her over this in front of these two. Brad has to be connected to Maxine in some way. It just seems too much of a coincidence for there to be two separate people saying the same thing. God, I hope she is being truthful that she's not slept her way to the top. Bloody hell, more things to worry about. Why did I follow my dad's advice? I should have waited till she spoke to me; till I knew the truth about everything. We're not ready for this next step, but dad talked me around. He made me think it might make her feel more open and trusting knowing I'm not going anywhere, that I am serious about making this work.
I hope he's not going to believe Brad about this. It's not true at all. My mother did those sorts of things, but I never did. God, Mike and I have slept in the same bed at times, but we've never had intercourse. Not since his promotion. So how can I have slept my way to the top get my promotion. Oh I probably blackmailed him, that will be what Brad says I did. God, I hope this doesn't ruin things between Mike and I. I'm going to have to talk to him once we are home; tell him things that my mother did, maybe he'll understand. I hope he doesn't think I am like her, because I'm not anything like her.
"Ok, sorry about that. Lieutenant you're on unpaid leave till this is sorted. Kate, when is Hammersley due to sail next?"
"We sail at 1300 hours tomorrow, Sir. With me at the helm and a new XO."
"Mike, when do you return?"
"I return tonight with Kate, and then await further instructions from Steve about what I'm doing next."
"Explain, Mike?"
"I would prefer not to do it with Lieutenant Moyes in the room, Sir."
"Ok, Lieutenant, you can return to class as can you, Kate."
"Thank you, Sir," Kate replies. Brad remains silent as they leave the office.
"Mike?"
"Sir, a lot has been going on up in Cairns. Not just with me, but other things as well. My contract was due for renewal and I refused to sign. Steve has worked hard to find me something to do that does not involve Hammersley, that is why I was sent here, and also because I got Steve to look into a few things. I left the Chief and Fleet Command rather pissed off because I refused to step back on board."
"Because of Kate?"
"Yes, plus I decided that I wanted a family. I'm sick of coming home to no-one and trying to create a home life while working on a patrol boat is near impossible. So, after several talks with Steve, he got the brass to agree to Kate and I being in a relationship and I made them put it in my contract."
"So why did you piss them off Mike?"
"Because I told them they either do as I have asked or I leave. They didn't like it because they don't really want me to leave, and I still will if they keep doing this shit to us."
"Do you think Kate would do those things?"
"No, not really."
"Mike, you don't sound so sure?"
"Jarrod, Kate well all of us, the crew of Hammersley have been through a really rough twelve months. Between my kidnap, and then the death of our Coxswain and the army Captain who, at the time, was in a relationship with Kate."
"Oh."
"There is a lot of other stuff between us that goes way back, Jarrod, as you well know. But I can't see her doing those things. But I don't know much about what her life was like before she joined, it's something she's not happy to talk about to me." They keep on talking for about another 30 minutes before Mike returns to class.
Later on in the afternoon, the other students are informed of the assignment of postings for the successful candidates. Nikki gets the XO position on Hammersley. She is flying out on the same flight as Mike and Kate. Once class ends they get ready to leave for the airport so they can catch their 5pm flight back to Cairns.
Nikki notices on the way to the airport, and on the plane ride back to Cairns, that Mike and Kate are both extremely quiet with each other. They are sitting together but not talking to each other. She is worried about what must have happened this morning, all Kate said was that Captain Patterson wanted to talk to them.