Chapter four
On the Bridge, nobody's POV
"Hey? Have you guys see Bird this morning?" 2dads asked everyone on the bridge.
"Um, no. Why?" Dutchy asked.
"Oh, well she just seems a little out of it," 2dads says.
"What did you do?" Dutchy asked.
"I jumped out and scared her and she didn't react like her usual self. She seemed a little aggittated." 2dads said.
"Hm, I wonder why?" Dutchy rolled his eyes, "I'll sort this one out guys," Dutchy said before making his way down to Bird's rack.
"Knock, knock," Dutchy said as he knocked on Bird's door.
"Come in," she replied clearly very moody.
"Hey? Are you alright? 2dads said he scared you and you didn't have the best reaction," Dutchy said.
"I've just got hormones flying at me left right and centre," Bird replies.
"Ah, is it that time of the month?" Dutchy asked tip toeing around the question. Growing up Dutchy had three sisters and has learnt how to deal with that awkward time of the month very well.
"Yeah, something like that," Bird said and she gave a small smile to Dutchy.
"Alright," Dutchy replied.
"Do you know my next rotation?" Bird asked.
"It's with me," Dutchy said before hearing his name called over the ships intercom system.
"Sir, you wanted to see me?" Dutchy said as he entered the CO cabin.
"Ah yes. Take it easy on Bird this week. She's going through something and she is very fragile about it," the CO said.
"Alright sir. Is that all sir?" Dutchy asked.
"Yes Salior," he replied
Bird's Cabin
"Hey Bird," Bomber smiled as she entered their shared cabin.
"Hi," Bird said giving her a small smile.
"What's up, you seem a bit down in the dumps,' Bomber asked concerned.
"I told Ryan about the baby and he didn't react to well. He wants nothing to do with baby Bird," Bird says saddened. Bomber moved and placed her arm around her. She knew that Bird would need a lot of emotional support to get through this and she was determined to give it to her.
"It will be ok. You have everyone on the crew to help you," Bomber replied.
"Yeah. But at least Jacob stuck around until after the twins were born, and he's stayed around. Ryan's just disappearing never wanting anything to do with our child," Bird replied.
'Um, did I miss something? Who's Jacob?" Bomber asked.
"Oh, sorry. He's the twins' father. He supported me through the pregnancy but when they were a few months old he couldn't handle it. He wasn't ready to be tied down to a family so I let him go. He's constantly been a support to me though, paying monthly child support and always ready to help out. Sending the girls gifts and being there for them and me. I just wish Ryan would do the same. The baby deserves to have a father in it's life just like the girls do," Bird explained.
1 hour later on the Bridge
The crew were being assessed on their performance aboard boarding's. The man assessing them was John Goats.
"Sir we are approaching an unmarked vessel on our port side," The X said to the CO.
"Alright X, prepare to board," And call Bird to the Bridge, I'll get her to prepare lunch,' The CO instructed.
"Hand's to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations," The X announced over the ships intercom system., "Bird to bridge, Bird to Bridge,"
"All crew need to attend this boarding," Mr. Goats said sternly.
"She hasn't had enough experience," The CO replied., "She's only a gap girl,"
"Sir, Bird is excluded on medical grounds? Is she not?" The X replied.
"What medical grounds?" Mr Goats asked.
"Um, she's pregnant," The CO replied, after ensuring that nobody else was on the bridge.
"Well that's hardly grounds for medical exclusion. She'll board like the rest of the crew,and she can stay on the RHIB with me," Mr Goats ordered.
"X, you called me up," Bird said now in a happier mood.
"Ah yes, we've been told my Mr Goats that you have to board with us. Don't worry you will stay on the RHIB with him," The X informed.
"But X, I have never boarded before, " Bird replied.
"Come on now, get moving!" Ordered Mr Goats.
On the RHIB
"Dutchy, You check below decks with Bomber and 2Dads," The X yelled over the roaring sound of the engine.
"Yes ma'am," Dutchy replied.
"Swain, Charge, Ryan," You'll secure the deck and wheelhouse with me," The X yelled over the engine again and Swain nodded his head, notifying X that he had understood the command.
The crew had boarded the Boat and mayhem was on the loose. The foreign crew had guns and had taken the crew by surprise. Gunshots were flying around every where. The crew of the Hammserley had taken cover, desperately trying to take command of the ship again.
"Bird! Don't just sit here shocked, go and help them out!" Mr. Goats ordered pushing Bird onto the boat. Bird was stunned at what he had just done. What was she supposed to do? Stun them all with her killer good looks? A man approached her, pointing a gun at face. Bird ducked as the man pulled the trigger, the bullet narrowly missing her. She turned around and ran. As she ran passed a room someone pulled her in.
"Don't say a word,' He ordered as he muffled her mouth and held a gun to her. She franticly nodded her head in fear. The man lead Bird out of the room and out onto the main deck.
"You stop the fire at us or your pretty little friend will die," The man yelled at the top of his lungs to the crew who was out on the deck. He still had the deadly weapon to her back. The crew stared at the situation.
"Ma'am, what do we do?" Bomber asked.
"you will all listen to me, do as I say," The X ordered.
"Alright, we will drop the weapons," The X said as she surrendered her weapon and the rest of the crew did the same. She noticed Dutchy who was on the ships Port-side walkway. She knew he would make a move soon.
"We surrender," The X replied as she and the rest of the crew placed their hands up in the air. Dutchy lunged out and hit the man's weapon to the floor. Dutchy now had a gun pointing to his back.
"Don't you dare," he said restraining the man. The rest of the crew had now restrained the foreign crew.
"Bird are you alright," Swain asked rushing over to Bird.
"Um, I don't know," Bird replied shaken up.
"What were you doing on the deck?" Swain asks.
"Mr. Goats pushed me onto the deck and ordered me to help," She replied.
"Alright, I need to check you over in the ward and make sure everything is ok on that front," Swain replied looking at her stomach. "Yeah," Bird said placing her had protectively over her stomach. She prayed that nothing was wrong with her baby. She was all to aware of haw cautious you have to be in those first few months. It's possible that the high risk and highly stressful situation could have adverse effects on her baby and even cause her to miscarry.
On the Bridge
"Why would you force Bird onto the boat?" The CO asked Mr Goats sternly, "It was a high risk situation that she was not to be involved in!"
"You're crew are clearly not capable of controlling a normal boarding. " He replied.
"You put her life at risk. She could have lost the baby, or worse lost her life. You had no regard for her wellbeing. I'll be reporting you conduct to NAVCOM," The CO replied.