CH 27

The next morning when Nikki walk into the ball pen she saw mike talking to Steve as they walk out of Steve office.

"Morning Nav" mike said

"morning sir, no replacements"

"no"

"so your stuck with lieutenant O'Brien then"

"Yes and to top it off we going to be out on patrol for two months"

"what" Nikki said in shock

"but the rosters was only for three weeks, what happen"

"Lieutenant screw up when he type out the rosters" mike said

"but what abut Pete temporary replacement"

"i forgot about that" mike said he turn to Steve

"sorry there nothing I can do"

"This is going not only up set Pete but kill him, Dam the bloody navy they done it again to my family" Nikki said yelling at Steve and mike before turning around and walking quickly as she could out of the ball pen.

"She not happy Steve and I don't blame her"

"Mike it the navy she should be use to it by now"

"i know that Steve but the navy has screw up twice for her and Pete"

"your right but I'll be talking to her about her yelling at us"

"hormones, Kate went through them. Boy some days she good as and others boy you got to be on egg shells around her."

"your right mike"

"I better go or I'll have the X on my back cause Hammersley left late"

"True Mike and tell your buffer sorry"

"I will Steve" then mike walk out of ball pen when he saw Nikki walking towards him

"sir sorry for my out burst before"

"It ok it would be your hormones"

"It not just that sir... Vicky in hospital. Victor call me few days ago. Vicky collapsed at home, it chest infection"

"what buffer should of called and I would of gotten a temporary replacement strait away"

"i should of sir, I fail Pete, navy fail us once again" then she started to cry, so he pulled her into his arms.

"I'll talk to Steve, come on" he put his arm around her shoulder and turn around and walk back in the ball pen.

When Steve saw them he walk over to them "Steve I need a temporary boson replacement now"

"mike"

"Steve, Nav just told me, Vicky Tomaszewski collapsed few days go she in hospital"

"Lieutenant you should of told me"

"sorry sir, with every thing that has happen in the past few days"

"don't stress about it Nav it not good for you or the baby" mike said

"i know sir, that what Pete keeps telling me"

"Mike I'll make some calls"

"thanks Steve"

"In the mean time you do your patrol till I can get you a temporary replacement"

"thank you Steve"

"Lieutenant why don't you go and get your self a drink then report to my office in half an hour"

"Yes sir, thank you sir" then she turn around and walk out of the ball pen.

"Steve keep and eye on her will you"

"i will Mike"

"thanks" then he turn around and walk out of NAVCOM.

Half an hour later Nikki walk into Steve office "sit down lieutenant, how are you feeling"

"a bit better sir"

"I got some good news, I found a temporary replacement but he won't be here till next week"

"thanks you sir but it doesn't matter since Hammersley away for the next two months"

"If I can think of a way to have Hammersley return sooner I would"

"I know sir" Steve notice the look on Nikki face he could see she was thinking then started to smile as she look up at him

"Sir perhaps there might be a way"

"how"

"New navigator sir. I was thinking if we can come up with a list of names and have them sent to lieutenant commander Flynn and XO to go over and they can choice from the list." Steve thought about it

"But it will be up to mike to look at the list"

"i know that sir, but with XO input as well will help. That is how they choice me sir and I was on Hammersley for two years."

"your right about that. Ok how about you look for Hammersley Navigator and give me a list of fifteen names and I'll look at it before I cut it down to ten then send it to mike"

"good idea sir. I think between the four of us we will find one who would not only make captain and crew happy but you and fleet command sir" Steve chuckled

"your right lieutenant, why don't you go and make a start"

"Yes sir, I'll have the list by the end of my shift" Then she stood up and walk out of Steve office.

When she walk towards her desk she saw lieutenant wave her over since he was on the phone to some one. So she walk over to the lieutenant.

"Sir I got some one here who might help... yes sir" then he pass the phone to Nav

"Hammersley" he said

"Lieutenant Tomaszewski specking... yes sir... you told him, what happen... I don't blame him sir, where is he now... may I talk to him... ok when are you due to depart... ok I'll come down right now and talk to him... ok sir I'll tell him... yes sir" then she hung up

"what a bloody night mare" she said then she turn around and walk back into Steve office

"sir captain of Hammersley ask for my help. I'm on my way down to the docks to help sort out the problem sir"

"what the problem"

"Lieutenant O'Brien put his foot in his mouth and up set Pete in front of captain and XO sir. From what captain tells me it took both him and X to almost restrain him, he in his cabin. I'm going down to the docks to find out what lieutenant said to Pete to make him so mad sir"

"I'm coming with you, let me make a call"

"Yes sir" Steve made a phone call then he and Nikki left to go down to Hammersley.

When they arrived in navy car they both got out and walk up and onto Hammersley where charge is "Nav good to see you"

"thanks Charge, where captain and X"

"In ship office chewing lieutenant ears office and buffer is in his cabin"

"thanks Charge" Steve and Nikki walk to one of the doors and through it.

They walk down to where they could hear mike and Kate yelling at the lieutenant. They stop at the door and knock on it before opening it up and walking into the room

"Nav"

"sir, X, commander Marshal with me" then Steve walk into the room closing the door behind him.

"sir, X please tell me what happen that cause Pete to be piss off with the lieutenant here"

"Hey you can't talk to captain like that" Nikki turn to the lieutenant and gave him a dirty look

"I ask the captain polity lieutenant unless captain, XO or commander here ask you a question shut up" then she turn to mike and Kate.

"sorry sir"

"you right Nav" mike said.

He and Kate told Nikki and Steve about what happen and what was said. They could see Nikki was getting angry by the time they finish telling her every thing.

"thanks for tell me sir, X" then she turn to Steve

"Sir can you deal with lieutenant O'Brien while I'll go and talk to Pete and calm him and my self down"

"Of course"

"thank you sir"

Then Nikki walk to the door and open it and walk out of it and close the door behind her. "Lieutenant you got some explaining to do" Steve said

then they heard Nikki scream then yelling swearing like there was no tomorrow then they heard the crew running toward where Nikki is and some one yelling out

"some one get buffer"

"Nav calm down, it not good for you and baby"

"Calm down, don't you tell me to calm down" Nikki said yelling.

Then she start swearing like a true sailor which cause Steve to raise his eye brows.

Then they heard "Stand clear" they heard yelling then Nikki stop yelling.

Kate walk to the door and open it and poke her head out the door to see Pete on the floor with Nikki on his lap crying as he hug her and whisper thing in her ear with the crew close by.

She walk out and over to them and crouch down "Are you ok now Nav" She turn to Kate to see Steve and mike in the door way, then she turn to Kate

"i will be, that lieutenant pissed me off"

"i know" Kate rub Nikki arm.

Nikki turn to Pete resting her head against his for a few minutes "Ready to get up" Pete asked

"Yes"

Swain and charge step forward putting there hand out which Nikki put her hands into there then they pulled her up and gave her a hug then charge help Pete to his feet

"Are you ok mate" Charge asked

"i will be" Nikki turn and hug Pete then she move so she could look at him

"We got to talk"

"I know"

They turn and walk into the ship office where Pete close the door behind him since Kate return couple minutes earlier. The crew waited out side, they could hear raise voices in there for five minutes then they saw the door open and lieutenant walk out closing the door behind him.

While in the ship office Pete was rubbing Nikki back to calm her down. "Steve now you know why I want him off my ship"

"i know that Mike"

"When"

"A week" Nikki said they look at her

"a week" Pete said looking at Nikki then to shock mike and Kate

"Yes a week. Commander Marshal and I were talking about it before you called sir. I'll be giving commander marshal a list of fifteen names for next navigator. He will narrow it down to ten before sending you the list of names for you and X to choice from. Plus Pete temporary replacement will be here by next week. If you sir and the X can give commander Marshal a name before then. He would Have Hammersley return so you can have lieutenant O'Brien off...your ship sir" Causing every one to smile

"and for Pete temporary replacement on here so he could fly to Sydney to be with his mum."

"Steve" mike asked looking at him

"Lieutenant right"

"that would be great"

"It was her idea mike" mike turn to Nav

"Great idea Nav"

"thanks sir as I said to commander Marshal if we four work together to find a navigator that would keep you, crew, commander Marshal and fleet command happy" Pete laugh while Kate, Steve and Mike grin.

"she right sir it would but how are you going to choice Nikki" Pete asked her

"I'll look at there profiles and read what the previous captains say about the lieutenant, test scores. Things like that but captain can't interview them like he did when I was at Watson bay"

"that true" Kate said

"I'm sure between X and me we can find a new navigator" mike said

"Ok that, that sorted, we better return back to NAVCOM and get started on that list" Steve said as they walk to the door and mike open it then they walk out to see the crew there

"Why are you still here" mike asked

"sorry sir we were worried about buffer and Nav" charge said

"I'm ok thanks. You all better return back to work cause I know for a fact that X here got a bag of new toothbrushes"

then the crew turn around and walk quickly down the corridors and went all directions. Pete laugh

"that sure one way to clear the corridors" Nikki turn to him, he raise his hands up

"Well it true, soon as you mention tooth brushes they run and hide"

"Well it better than after charge has bake beams" Pete laugh as he hug her

"that so true" they walk out to the back oh Hammersley while talking some more.

Steve, mike and Kate watch Nikki and Pete hug and kiss plus the way he put his hand onto her stomach and she put hers on top while smiling. They talk for a minute then they hug and kiss once more before Pete turn and walk back the way he came. Nikki turn and walk over to the gang way looking a bit more relax.

"sir X"

"Nav, send me the list soon as you can"

"i will sir" they saluted each other before she follow Steve off Hammersley while mike and Kate went to the bridge.

When Nikki and Steve got back in the car and the driver took them back to NAVCOM. Nikki was looking out the window of the car not saying a thing. When they return back to the ball pen. Nikki went strait to her desk and started on that list while Steve return back to his office.

The next day on Hammersley RO was in the com cen printing out the emails from NAVCOM then he sorted them out then he took them to Mike who was in his cabin with Kate talking about shifts.

"Sir all these came from NAVCOM" he pass them to mike

"thanks RO" RO walk out of the cabin then walk up to the bridge.

Mike look through the papers when he stop at one sheet, he look at the list "Kate" he pass her the sheet of paper

"Navigator list" Kate said

"Yes, so shall we go to the ships office and check the names on the list out"

"sure why not"

They stood up and walk out of mike cabin and down stairs to where the ship office is. They both sat down close to a computer where mike enter his pass word then they check out each of the names on the list that Steve sent to them.

They talk about each of the names and what they done so far, the test scores, every thing. Then they narrow it down to five. They look over each of the profiles again till they narrow it to the one they both agree on.

"I'll send an e-mail to Steve" Mike said

"ok I'll head up to the bridge, my shift started soon"

"ok" Kate stood up and walk out of the ship office.

Hour later at NAVCOM Nikki was doing some paper work when Steve walk over to her after getting a print out from printer.

"lieutenant" Nikki turn around

"Yes sir"

"Mike sent me an e-mail" he pass it to Nikki who read what it said then smile.

"Well sir I did put a star next to that name"

"I was wondering why you had the name on top of the list with a star next to it. It seams that mike and lieutenant McGregor agrees with you"

"Yes sir" she said smiling. Steve return back to his office to make phone calls while Nikki return back to what she was doing.