Chapter 12
The next day, Kate showed up at the bridge and greeted them joyously, "Good morning guys!"
They all greeted her back and Dylan stood up from the captain's chair.
"Hey, I'm more than happy to see you back full of energy", he said.
She smiled weakly, "Full of energy, yes. But I feel that I'm not one hundred percent yet. But it's getting better and better".
He grinned, "So you're on light duties, ma'am".
She gave him a cheeky smile and sat down.
"Good, where are we?", she asked enthusiastically.
"We will arrive in Noumea around 3 p.m. The French authorities have already sent their compliments and the commander of the French Navy will welcome us", he said.
She nodded, "Nice. I recovered in time. It would have sucked if I was stuck in my bunk".
"Indeed. Not really a good impression", he mused.
"It's capitaine de frégate François-Xavier de Lariboisière.
"Excuse me? François-Xavier what?", Kate replied baffled .
"François-Xavier de Lariboisière ", he repeated.
"Hmm, did you practise that name on the days I got stuck in my bunk?", she challenged him.
"No, but his rank is that of a commander", he added.
"Yes Dylan. I know", she replied raising an eyebrow, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
He raised his hand, "Okay, okay, just background information".
Two hours later, RO reported the following, "Ma'am! A mayday call!"
The crew at the bridge turned around to watch RO.
"What else do you know?", Kate asked.
"It was very noisy. That guy seemed panicked. He yelled something about a sinking", RO replied.
"Okay, do we have a position?", she asked.
"It was very clear. I wrote it down", he said, handing her a page from his notebook.
Dylan and Kate looked at the chart, the paper in front of them.
"It's 15 miles north of our position", he said, pointing to the chart.
"We'll be there in twenty minutes at full speed",
"Smithy! Set course at 0-0-5, full revolutions", she ordered the swain.
"Yes ma'am. Course 0-0-5, full revolutions", he repeated.
She looked at Dylan, "Put extra men with binoculars on the bridge wings."
He nodded, "Okay ma'am".
"RO, send a message to the French base in Noumea that we will be delayed by a mayday call".
Twenty minutes later they noticed a shabby ship that was already deep in the water. A lot of people were gathered on the deck.
"Nav, prepare the boarding stations. Two Rhibs, but take you precautions. Kevlar plates and weapons. You never know", she said.
"I got your point", Dylan replied, grabbing the microphone to give the order.
The two Rhibs raced off towards the ship in distress and Dutchy jumped aboard followed by Pete. Smithy kept his distance to be sure.
"It's the Australian Navy! What's going on?", Dutchy said, looking around.
"Who's the master of the vessel?", he asked.
The people on deck were a mix of Asians and people from small Pacific islands. Men and women of different ages and a few children.
"Refugees, of course", Pete told him.
Meanwhile the other sailors had also boarded.
"I am", said an older Asian man, stepping forward.
"Boat makes water", he said.
"Are there still people in there?", Dutchy asked.
"No no, all here", the older man replied
"We'll take a look", Dutchy said to him.
"Buffer, check the wheelhouse. 2Dads, Tango check what the man says about the water. Bomber check these people if they are injured, but be careful", he ordered.
"Where were you going to?", he asked the skipper.
"Better world. People poor. Looking for more luck", he said.
"Okay, but which country? ", Dylan asked.
"New Caledonia".
2Dads returned shaking his head, "Sir, we better get away as soon as possible. The water is already knee high. I think it's a matter of minutes, maybe a quarter of an hour".
He pressed the send button on his microphone, "November 82 to Charlie 82?"
"Charlie 82 to November 82, sitrep?", Kate's voice answered.
"It's a refugee boat heading for New Caledonia. Men, women, children. About twenty. The situation is serious because the boat could sink at any time", he said.
"Get them out as soon as possible!", Kate ordered.
"Charlie 82 to Sugar 82, Smithy, help with evacuation".
"Sugar 82 to Charlie 82, yes ma'am", Smithy answered.
Twenty minutes later, the crew was busy making the refugees comfortable on deck with food and water. When Kate wanted to order to sink the boat, it sank on its own. She went to the quarter deck to look at these people.
Dylan joined her. "No one is injured and there are no sick people either. They're just poor wretches looking for a better life in New Caledonia. It's lucky that we're following the same way, isn't it?"
"It's not sure. What's sure is that they wanted to enter New Caledonia by another way and this is not going to happen now. It's France, so technically it's Europe and an excuse to get there more easily. But now, called in by the immigration services for questioning, they will go to a camp and will probably be sent back. On the one hand, we saved their lives, but on the other, we destroyed their chance of getting a ticket to France", she said.
He nodded, "Yeah, I hadn't seen it like that".
She patted his arm, "If they have a good reason, then it might be that they have a chance to stay", she said turning around to head back to the bridge again.
They notified the French authorities about the refugees and they immediately obtained another mooring location.
Dylan looked at his charts and frowned, "Hey, it's a secluded place in the harbour. Initially we had a place in the centre", he noticed surprised.
Kate also looked at the chart, "It's for the refugees. They want to make sure no one can escape. I guess we'll get another place after we hand them over".
Ninety minutes later than expected they arrived in Noumea. A pilot boat guided them to a small jetty in a quiet part of the harbour. The jetty was L-shaped and the longer side was parallel to the shore line. The space between the jetty and the shore was for small fishing vessels, but it was low tide and the area was a mud zone. The sea side of the jetty was deep enough for the Hammersley.
The refugees disembarked and were gathered on the jetty, guarded by three local policemen and two people from the immigration service. People from the French navy, including capitaine de frégate (also called commandant) de Lariboisière, were also present to welcome the Australian Navy. All in all, an impressive force.
Dutchy oversaw the departure of the refugees on deck while Pete and a few other sailors were on the jetty. Meanwhile crates with supplies were loaded and garbage was unloaded. Kate changed into her whites to greet the French commander and they went to meet each other.
"Good afternoon captain, welcome to Noumea", greeted commandant de Lariboisière. He was a tall man with a tanned face and black hair.
"Bonjour commandant, nous sommes très heureux d'être ici" (1), Kate replied, looking at the tall man.
She noticed that his shirt was compressing his muscular chest.
Hmm, don't you have a bigger shirt size or do you want to flaunt your muscles, Rambo?
He was clearly surprised to get an answer in French, "Oh, do you speak French?".
Kate smiled back at him, "Bien sûr. Dès que j'en ai l'opportunité". (2)
"D'accords. Puis-je vous inviter, ainsi que votre équipage, à un réception que nous donnons demain soir?" (3), he asked.
But before Kate could answer, there was a commotion behind them.
One of the crates slipped off the pulley block and fell onto the jetty deck.
Everyone looked at the broken crate and a young refugee took the opportunity to run away. He saw that the jetty was obstructed by several people, a few French sailors, two local policemen and the commander of the French Navy who was talking to Kate. He chose for the weakest point, … Kate.
They saw him coming and Kate attempted to stop him. He grabbed her arm and yanked her to the edge of the jetty. Kate didn't expect it and lost her balance. With a shriek, she found herself a few meters down, face down in the deep mud.
Kate knelt down and wiped the mud from her face. When she got up she sank into the mud up to her knees. Pulling her leg out of the mud, she left one of her shoes there. "Oh no! Now that too!" She grumbled.
Unfortunately for her, this movement caused her to lose her balance and fell again. When she got up again she lost her second shoe. Completely pissed off she fished her shoes out of the mud and plodded to the ladder.
Buffer, Smithy and Bomber witnessed the scene and ran to the nearest ladder to climb down and help her.
"Can I give you a hand?" Buffer asked, holding his hand out.
"I'll manage!", she snapped angrily, pushing his hand away.
"But, take my hat and my shoes," she grumbled.
Commander de Lariboisière seemed amused by her muddy appearance when she went up onto the jetty.
"I guess we'll continue our conversation later in the day? I'll be at my office" The commander suggested. He could barely hide a smile.
"Yeah, if you don't mind," Kate replied icily.
She turned around, snatched her muddy hat and shoes from Pete's hands and walked purposefully to the Hammersley. She passed a few crew members without seeing them. One of them was 2Dads.
"Ma'am, I think you have a stain on your uniform," he said with his classic smirk.
Kate stopped, gasped for air and turned around to face him.
"2Dads, you are going to wash my uniform and make sure it's sparkling white! And clean them up," she yelled at him pushing her muddy shoes and her hat into his hands. In a foul mood she boarded.
Dutchy had seen it all and waited for her on the gangway.
"Boss, are you're okay?", he asked concerned.
"I'm fine! Can't you really see that?", she snapped at him hoarsely.
Kate didn't stop and he followed her.
"Kate? Are you okay?", he tried again.
She stopped and looked at him, "Dylan, if you really want me to burst into tears, then keep going. So please don't say anything more" she whispered with a lump in her throat.
She reached her cabin and entered without giving him a look. She slammed the door in his face and he could just hear her muttering inside : "Why me?" He raised his eyebrows, made a face and returned to the quarterdeck.
Once inside Kate let herself go. Tears of anger, frustration and humiliation ran down her cheeks and she wanted to lean against the door, but she was aware she would make it dirty. Desperate, she looked around where she might drop her muddy clothes. She remembered that she must have a big plastic bag in her locker. She opened it and found the bag. She undressed with quick furious gestures and put her dirty clothes in the bag. Then she went to the bathroom to have a shower.
End of Flashback
Maddie roared with laughter, "Oh Jeez, no! No, no, no! It's hilarious!".
Kate gave her daughter her coldest commander gaze and said nothing.
Maddie wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Oh mum, I'm sorry, but try to put yourself in my shoes when you tell this story. It's almost a movie of Charlie Chaplin. Oh my God, I'm trying to imagine what you looked like. You, the impeccable officer".
Kate rolled her eyes, "Everyone roared with laughter, so this must have been funny, even though I didn't share that opinion at that time.
Maddie took a deep breath, "But, the food poisoning, you toyed with your life. It could have been deadly, right?"
Kate shrugged, "I know, but hearing that I wasn't able to do my job would have been worse".
They stood still and looked at the sea and the beach.
"Shall we walk on the beach?", Maddie asked.
"Yeah, that sounds good", Kate said as she kicked off her slingback pumps. She walked down to the beach, "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'm coming, but the buckles on the sandals are not cooperating!", Maddie grumbled.
A moment later she was also with her mother.
"Okay, I'm here. But about your story, were you able to have a nice stay in Noumea?"
Kate rolled her eyes again, "Nice? It's what you call nice. Everything went wrong, starting with my shoes".
(1) Hello commander, we are very happy to be here.
(2) Of course. As soon as I get the chance
(3) Agreed. May I invite you and your crew to a reception we are having tomorrow night?
To be continued