Chapter 3
"Good morning sir!", Kate said joyously the next morning, entering the officers' mess with her breakfast plate.
Mike looked up and gave her a smile, "Good morning X. Enjoy your breakfast".
Kate sat down and looked longingly at the scrambled eggs, "It's been a while! Not too much and not too often otherwise I'll look like Charge", she said.
Mike chuckled, "Don't think about it and enjoy Bomber's eggs".
"Uh-hu", she mumbled, taking a bite of the eggs.
"By the way X, can you tell me what went wrong yesterday?", he asked.
Kate put her cutlery down sharply, "You are not giving up, are you?"
He shook his head, "No, I must know it", he said firmly.
Kate sighed and looked at him wearily, "It's Jerry. Again. He started yelling and barking at those fishermen so that we couldn't have a basic conversation anymore. They put up walls", she replied and shrugged at the last sentence.
"Was it that bad?"
"They almost pissed their pants in fear", Kate said.
Mike laughed.
"It wasn't funny!", she said, glaring at him.
"X, You've such a laconic way of telling", Mike replied.
Kate ignored his remark and continued, "If he had continued, then he, for sure, would have wiped the floor with them and that's the last thing I would have liked to see. So, I gave them a course to get away as quickly as possible. Fish or no fish!", she said irritated.
"Kate, don't take it for yourself", Mike said.
"That's easier said than done!", she grumbled, sticking her fork into the eggs."
"Kate, it's going to get better. Getting used to the job, you know", Mike gave another try.
"So he takes his time for that!", she said after swallowing egg toast.
Hmm, I can't convince her. Stubborn. Okay, it makes no sense to spoil her good mood. Let's talk about something else.
"Do you have any idea what you're going to cook for New Year's Eve?"
Kate glanced at him with twinkling eyes, "Grilled salmon, but you'll have to fire up the barbecue because I'm no expert on that.
Yes, it works!
"No problem! I can set anything and anyone on fire!", he replied with a broad grin.
"Just be careful to only set one person on fire sailor!", Kate replied with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll be careful!"
The day continued, bright, sunny and hot.
During the afternoon Harpie was on watch behind the radar screen and spotted a bright spot on it.
"Sir, FFV at 1-5-3", he said.
"Okay, call the X", Mike ordered.
A bit later, Kate appeared on the bridge fastening her DPNU jacket. "Sir?"
"FFV at 1-5-3", Mike said.
"Okay", Kate replied and she grabbed the microphone, "Hands to the boarding stations, hands to the boarding stations, hands to the boarding stations", and she rushed downstairs as well.
The same scenario repeated itself near the Rhibs. Jerry was barking again, "Come on, get your ass up, the X is waiting!", he yelled.
Kate had deliberately slipped into the middle of the men. "How can I wait for the men when I'm among them?", she said completely straight-faced.
He gave her a disapproving look and the men looked at them both waiting for the battle of the Titans. Jerry didn't answer and they silently climbed into the Rhib.
The vessel was a bit larger than an average fishing boat and it looked like she was going to be smashed to pieces at any moment. She had only one large deckhouse and it appeared that the wheelhouse was built forward. The Rhib pulled alongside the vessel and Jerry jumped aboard followed by a few other sailors. Then came Kate.
There was only one man in the wheelhouse, not an Asian, but rather an Arab with a tanned face and black hair.
"It's the Australian Navy! Who's the captain of this vessel?", Jerry barked, but the Arab man didn't seem to understand him. Kate pulled out her cards with the basic sentences in other languages and showed them to the man. "Are you the captain of this vessel?"
"Dick, Lance, below deck! 2Dads, Bird, deckhouse!", Jerry ordered.
Kate showed another card, "Are you the captain of this vessel?"
Suddenly, Jerry grabbed the man by the collar and pushed him hard against the wheelhouse wall, "Cat got your tongue? Answer the officer!"
"Buffer! That's not the right way!", Kate protested.
"That's the only language these bastards understand!", Buffer replied pushing a little harder.
"Ma'am!", Bird said.
They both looked at her and saw that she was holding a handkerchief to her mouth.
"What's going on? Are you okay?", Kate asked.
"It's a boat with refugees and it stinks like hell inside", she said.
"Get them out!", Kate ordered.
Buffer squeezed the guy's neck a little tighter, "A people smuggler huh?". The so-called skipper moaned and looked at the sturdy Buffer with wide frightened eyes.
The first woman that came out of the cabin shrieked and ran towards Buffer. He saw her coming and violently pushed her away with his right hand like a rag doll.
"Buffer!", yelled Kate. "Stop that!"
The man who Buffer was holding stammered something like "Samira" and tried to get out of Buffer's tight grip but in vain. Buffer squeezed even harder.
Meanwhile, other women, men, many children and a few old people stood on the deck. They were all as grubby as each other and they didn't look very healthy.
Kate widened her eyes when she saw them.
"Oh my god!", she mumbled.
"Do any of you speak English?", she asked them.
The woman who was called Samira got up again and shuffled to the others.
"Someone speak English?", Kate repeated.
A middle-aged man stepped forward, "Yes, me. A little".
"Who's the captain of this boat? The captain?", Kate asked.
He shook his head, "No one. Our boat".
She nodded, "Where do you come from? Country?"
"Afghanistan".
"Afghanistan?! It's quite far! How did you get here? And where are you going to?"
He waved to the others, "This, family and friends. We escape the Taliban. Travelled through India. Boat bought with all our money", he said.
"Where are you going to?", Kate asked again.
"Australia, better life", he answered with a big smile.
"I know cars. Can work in a garage", he said and then he pointed to the others, "He can build houses and she a nurse".
Kate sighed and looked at Buffer, "Release him. They are harmless", she ordered.
"Bird, check them out!".
"Yes ma'am".
Kate pressed the microphone button, "X-Ray82 to Charlie82".
"Charlie82 to X-Ray82. What's the situation X?", said Mike's voice.
"A boat with fourteen Afghans refugees including at least six children. They look fine, but very underfed", she said.
"Okay X. We'll notify the immigration service and I'll send a steaming party.
"Okay Sir", she said and ended the call.
"Can we go to Australia? Be free?", asked the middle-aged man.
"Two of our men will stay aboard and a team from the immigration service will take care of you", she said.
He frowned, "Immigration? Not free in the country?".
Kate looked at him.
If I tell him the truth, then there's a good chance that they'll make a fuzz and I've already got my stomach full with Jerry's antics.
"Just paperwork and some check-ups", she soothed him and he seemed to believe her.
Pfft, it went well.
A little later, Bird walked over to Kate. Kate noticed she was rather pale.
"Ma'am?"
"Yes, tell me."
"They're all well ma'am. Some get seasick, but no serious diseases as far as I can detect", Bird said.
"Good. And you? Are you okay?", Kate asked.
Bird nodded, "I'm fine, but I feel sick from their smell. I'm wondering how long they haven't seen water and soap. I think I'm not going to eat anymore today", she said.
"Take a fresh shower when we're back", Kate advised.
Jessica nodded.
2Dads had overheard the conversation and added with a smirk, "And what about the galley tonight? You're on duty."
Bird's face took on a hurt expression and the pale shade turned slightly to pale green. She pushed Kate aside and rushed to the railing to throw up.
Kate looked angrily at 2Dads, "You idiot! Don't come to me one day to complain about having a fight from here to Tokyo!", she snapped.
"Sorry ma'am" he mumbled before shuffling away.
Kate padded to Bird who was leaning over the railing like a rag doll. "Don't lean to much on it Jess, I don't trust its stability. How are you going?", Kate said.
Bird straightened her back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm fine X but I'm not going to eat anymore today", Bird said.
"Hey folks, do you need a steaming party?", they heard Harpie's loud enthusiastic voice shout.
All looked at the sturdy sailor, his friend King following him like his shadow, as usual.
He walked over to Kate.
"Harpie, you take this boat with refugees to Cairns, the Immigration Service will be waiting for you", Kate said to him
"Aye ma'am".
"I hope you have a cold!", 2Dads smirked.
"What are you jabbering now? No, I'm not!", reacted Harpie, frowning.
Meanwhile King had glanced at the refugees and poked his head inside the deckhouse. He recoiled quickly. "Shit Harp! It was another bright idea of you to drag me into this with you. It stinks like hell in here!", he grouched.
Harpie looked at Kate questioningly, "And I volunteered for this?".
She looked at him amused, "A volunteer is someone who doesn't understand the question".
He rolled his eyes, "Very funny X! Very funny!"
"If you stay in the wheelhouse, you won't suffer from it", Kate said deadpan.
"Okay, then it's settled!", she concluded enthusiastically.
"Let's get back to the ship!", she ordered.
They returned to the Hammersley and stored the guns in the armoury. Kate stayed back and waited for the last sailor to leave so she could be alone with Jerry.
"Buffer, what the hell was that? Not only do you shout but you also use violence. I don't accept that!", she said.
He looked at her as if he had just tasted something dodgy. "Ma'am, you must be careful of these Arabs. They could be Taliban or the Islamic State and before we knew it, we would be shark food", he replied.
"Not all Arabs are terrorists. Many of them are on the run to escape these bastards. What would you have done if you were in that case?", she asked irritably.
"I don't know X and I don't need to know. I live here", he said plainly.
She grimaced, boiling inside, "Don't use violence anymore. It will not help us with our boardings and it's an order", she said sternly.
"Yes ma'am", he said with a stony face.
She walked to the bridge, clenching her teeth.
Kate, calm down! Count to ten, take a deep breath!
She still wasn't calmed down when she reached the bridge.
"And?", Mike asked.
"I don't want to…", she snapped and realised what she meant and ate her words.
"A few poor, stinking families on the run for a better life", she continued wearily.
"Oh, an immigration case", Mike replied with a shrug.
Kate gave at him questioning look.
You don't care, do you? You just don't care!
She looked away.
Maybe it's me. I'm probably taking it too much for myself.
Mike glanced at his girlfriend.
Something is wrong, but if I ask questions, it will be worse. I'll send her to the galley for a brew in a few minutes. Maybe that will help. Bomber will definitely have a chat with her. I've already noticed that they've been getting along well since she's been back.
"X?"
"Sir?"
"Get yourself a brew in the galley", he said.
"It's okay, sir", Kate replied uninterested.
Yeah, okay, here we go again. Stubborn!
"Just take a few minutes off and bring me a brew when you come back".
Now she has something to do with my request.
She looked at him, one eyebrow raised, "Okay sir".
Kat stood up, left the bridge and headed for the galley.
To be continued