"Maybe we can help with some of the ammunition," offered Biggles cautiously. "Your Brownings, for instance. I don't think I could help with the one you're playing around with at the moment, though," he finished with a grin.

ET emerged from beneath the Typhoon's control console.

"Boss, we can control it. The computer hard drive is still okay. But we don't have any GPS, so I can't do anything about the targeting. We'll have to trust Spider's aim, sir."

"Nothing wrong with my aim, ET," protested the young sailor indignantly.

"No one said there was, Seaman Webb," interjected Mike with a cautionary glance at the grinning ET.

"Boss, there's an aircraft approaching!" The young female Able Seaman whom Biggles had heard referred to as Bomber pointed ahead, her binoculars firmly held to her eyes.

"Don't worry. It's one of ours," Biggles assured Mike. "It'll probably be Algy Lacey, if I know anything."

"Sir, is that a Catalina?" Spider's voice seemed awestruck and Biggles glanced at the young man with a smile.

"Yes, it is."

"My Granddad flew in one of those during the War," replied Spider in the same awestruck voice. "He was a navigator."

Biggles looked across at Mike. "I didn't ask, what year have you come from?"

"2009."

"Sixty-seven years," murmured Biggles thoughtfully. He smiled at Spider. "Do you know where he was posted during the war?"

'Umm, Townsville I think. And Broome. I'd have to check with mum. She knows all the family history. He was her father." The young man frowned. "But I can't remember what years. I don't know if was now or later…I mean. I don't think I know what I mean, sir."

"Don't worry, Spider. I'm getting a headache thinking about it," his CO reassured him with a rueful smile of his own. "I think we just have to accept it for the moment and not try to think too much." Mike paused as he watched the approaching flying boat. "What's he going to do?"

"I think he wants to land," stated Biggles, his eyes on the circling machine. "Can you slow your engines so he's not swamped when he touches down?"

Mike nodded and gave the order and Charge promptly cut back the engine revs and the Hammersley slowed to a near standstill. Satisfied, Biggles waved to the circling pilot and indicated it would be okay to come in, and watched as the Catalina's hull gently kissed the water and skimmed across to stop not far from the patrol boat. The cockpit window was thrown open and Algy's head popped out.

"Everything okay?" he shouted.

Mike handed Biggles a megaphone pressing a button on its lower end as he did so.

"Easier than shouting at him. Do you want me to send a RHIB across to bring him over? He'll have to shout himself hoarse for you to hear him properly." Biggles nodded gratefully and raised the megaphone to his mouth.

"The captain's sending a dinghy across to bring you back. Who's with you?"

In answer the other cockpit window was opened and Ginger's head appeared.

"All right. Ginger, you stay there. Only Algy need come over. I take it we have some cover upstairs?"

Algy nodded and pointed upwards vigorously. Biggles squinted up into the heavens and noted the three dots circling above.

In a few minutes the RHIB was hoisted back onto the deck and Algy was stepping out to greet his cousin. He glanced around curiously, eyes widening as he took in the uniforms and weaponry on the vessel. His eyebrows arched in a silent query as he looked back at Biggles.

"Lt Commander Flynn, meet my second-in-command, Flight Lieutenant Algy Lacey."

The two men shook hands and Mike introduced Algy to his Executive Officer. Algy's eyes widened in the same surprise as Biggles had experienced earlier.

"Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant McGregor," he nodded with a quizzical smile. "I didn't know the Australian Navy had women on active service?"

Mike sighed as he watched Kate's eyes flash.

"It seems we're not from your time. In our time, women in the Armed Forces serve alongside men – equally and effectively," he explained briefly. He turned to Biggles. "I'll let you do the explaining. It really is giving me a headache," he finished ruefully.

As Biggles finished explaining the situation, Algy pursed his lips in a silent whistle.

"So the Hammersley's going to join us at Handy Cay, I take it?" He glanced around at the patrol boat. "We're playing host to some of your navy types right now. I'll look forward to seeing their faces when you sail in with this little beauty," he grinned.

"As a matter of interest, how did you convince Jack Somers to let you have his Cat?"

"You underestimate your importance, old boy. Jack practically pushed me into his kite. He wants to know that you're definitely still alive and kicking. Poor old Ginger was just a bit peeved. Thought Jack wasn't taking his word that you were okay," Algy finished lightly.

"Well, I sincerely hope he didn't say words to that effect in front of Jack!" exclaimed Biggles. "I don't need anyone up on insubordination charges."

"It's okay, settle down. He had the sense to keep quiet in front of Jack. Then he let Bertie and me know all about it so I grabbed him to come with me to calm him down. You know Ginger. He's fine now he's let off steam. And to be fair to Jack, he really doesn't know how we operate," Algy grinned irrepressibly. "Or he'd have known I'd be coming straight out to check things out for myself without him having to tell me to do so."

Biggles turned to the Hammersley's captain and smiled apologetically. "I really should fill you in on the situation you're sailing into." He quickly and succinctly briefed the Hammersley's CO and XO on the current situation on the base at Handy Cay. "We'll look after you, as I said earlier, until we can figure out what to do with you."

"What to do with you?" repeated Algy disbelievingly. "I don't think the navy will need to think too hard about what they could do with you!"

Mike sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "That's the problem, Flight Lieutenant. I'm not sure we can go sailing into battle with guns blazing because we may run the risk of changing history." He looked back at Biggles. "We really have to think about this."

"Sir," interrupted Kate. "How do we know we'll be changing history? For all we know this may have been meant to happen."

"Come on, X," scoffed Mike. "You can't seriously suggest that! I didn't know you were a student of time travel."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me. Sir," his Executive Officer retorted blandly. "And if you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to get back to the Bridge." Kate nodded at her fellow officers, turned on her heel and walked off.

Algy blinked, then grinned appreciatively. "I think I like your Executive Officer."

Mike glared then sighed, causing Algy to blink again and Biggles to further reflect on what he'd observed since his precipitous arrival on the patrol boat.

"Lieutenant McGregor has been the best Executive Office I've had since I took command. My previous XOs rarely lasted longer than a few months…for various reasons," Mike began somewhat stiffly as he watched Kate's progress up to the Bridge. "However, she sometimes doesn't know when to back down. The whole crew seems to be aware of our – er – throat-ripping debates on issues where Kate doesn't agree with my decisions." He seemed unaware that his XO's first name had slipped out and he finished with a grin. "She has certainly made life more challenging. The crew would all fight off any number of insurgents for her, yet they all know better than to cross her. More than one of my junior sailors has been required to clean all the heads with a toothbrush, but not one of them bares her any grudge."

Biggles glanced at Algy and shrugged slightly. "Different times, different ways. We'll discuss it when we reach base. And you'd better get cracking back there or we'll have Bertie out here next. Oh, make sure Ginger's calmed down before you get back, will you?"

"He's fine now. You don't need to worry about him sounding off at Jack. He really does have more sense than that, Biggles."