The abandoned island

Chapter 1

Three years after Jim and Swain died.

It was an ordinary patrol in the Coral Sea.

Mike was still the captain and Kate was the XO.

Her dream of one day commanding a patrol boat was fading away, as was her desire to start a relationship with Mike. He was good to her and he wanted to have her by his side as much as possible, but each time it led to discussions at the Hammersley and she was getting tired of it. It was time look beyond the horizon!

Dutchy was still the bosun but now he was the chief petty officer, Charge the chief engineer, Harpie the swain, Robert Dixon the RO and 2Dads the ET. However, Bomber had returned as a leading seaman and fully qualified medic.

It was late spring and it was already extremely hot.

RO headed for the captain's chair, "Sir, a message from Navcom for you".

"Thanks RO", Mike replied.

He read the message and turned to Kate who was measuring something on the chart.

"X?"

"Sir?", she replied, looking at him.

"Read this", he said, handing her the message.

"Okay", she said slowly as she looked at him.

"Call the senior sailors in the control room", he said, standing up.

A few minutes later, he faced them in the control room, namely Kate, Dutchy, Bomber, 2Dads, RO, Harpie and Charge.

"Look, we just received an order from Navcom to assist the Feds with an observation task.

They learned that a gang of drug dealers could use an abandoned airfield on Panawina Island.

I say could use, because it's not certain. All this is quite new and there are several possible places where they could land. Our task it to observe and gather as much evidence as possible, photos and films. I repeat, observe, no interventions.

For your information, Panawina Island is part of the group to which the famous Guadalcanal belongs. It was taken by the Japanese and we regained it. Then it was used as a base for those who were coming back from the front line and those who had to leave", Mike said.

Dutchy raised his hand, "When are they supposed to land?"

"Well, the Feds are expecting a landing on the 14th. So, that gives us a day to get there and a day to inspect the base. The X will lead the operation there with Dutchy and they will have a team of four sailors every six hours. For our own safety, take Kevlar jackets and weapons with you. Any questions?"

They shook their heads.

"Right, let's get started. X, prepare a course for Panawina Island", Mike ordered.

"Aye sir", she replied.

After a day of sailing, they reached the island and a team consisting of Kate, Dutchy and four sailors were disembarked onto the coast. They had a minimum water and rations for their shift, as well as a camera and video camera to gather evidence.

All six looked doubtfully at the dense tropical vegetation.

"Right! Looking at it won't show us the way! The airfield is not so far from the coast", Kate said, heading for the bushes.

It wasn't long before they were all sweating because of air humidity. They reached the edge of the forest and overhung the abandoned base. Grass was growing on the airstrip and the barracks and hangars were rusted. Equipped with binoculars they checked the area for human presence.

Kate made contact with the Hammersley, "X-Ray 82 to Charlie 82".

"Charlie 82 to X-Ray 82, I'm listening", Mike replied.

"We have reached the edge of the forest and can overhang the airstrip and part of the base. No sign of human presence. We'll check the base now", she said.

"Copy that. Over and out", Mike replied and he ended the connection.

"Let's go check if there have been any people or planes here recently", she said.

They moved away from the edge and went to check the landing strip for wheel tracks, but nothing. They headed for the barracks. Several windows were broken and extremely rusted. They identified offices, a kitchen and some unidentified rooms. In many of them, they found empty cupboards, tables, chairs, empty crates and even some old papers, all under a thick layer of dust. In the kitchen, they found a rusty stove and saucepans in the same condition.

"It's strange to find all this again after so many years", Dutchy said.

"This base has never been dismantled. People took turns and at one point no more team changes were sent. Who cared? The war was over", Kate said.

She dabbed her face with a handkerchief, "Jeez, it's hot here".

"And humid", Dutchy added.

"I wish I could have a shower", Kate said.

"You'll have to be brave one more day", he said.

"Pffft".

He looked at the rusty stove, "It looks a little different from Bomb's galley".

"A little? I really hope for your sake that she doesn't have to hear that", Kate replied.

He chuckled, touched her arm and motioned to her to go outside, "There are still a few barracks to inspect before the hangars".

The sailors headed for the barracks and entered.

"Hmm, that was the infirmary", he said, looking at the typical white furniture that had turned yellow after so many years. It was in the same state as the other barracks. They walked around the barracks and entered a large room where there were bed frames.

"The sick bay", she said.

He nodded and they stared at the empty room.

"I'm just imagining this room sixty-five years ago with men in these beds and nurses around", she said.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing", Dutchy said.

One of their men had entered an adjacent barrack.

"Lockers here, ma'am", he said and Dutchy and Kate followed him.

It was the same situation, dust, rust, old papers or carboard box on the ground, fragments of glass and stone, but there were lockers and some were closed.

Kate's attention was drawn by the closed ones. She inspected them thinking they found traces of recent use such as a clean surface or shiny scratches, but nothing. She tried to open a door and it opened. She stepped back in view of its content.

Dutchy noticed, "What? A snake, a spider?"

"No, a uniform", she said surprised. She took the coat hanger and looked at it. It was a nurse's uniform.

They were all standing around. "Why is this still here?", asked one of them.

She shrugged, "The only that comes to mind is that this woman was evacuated to the mainland without her belongings. Maybe she was sick?"

Dutchy looked at it, "That's your size".

She looked at him, "What do you mean?"

He raised his hands, "Nothing, just an observation".

"Hmm", she mumbled, putting it back in the locker.

"Next! Nothing to see here. Hangars now", she ordered.

They wandered through the hangars and found a lot of boxes and crates containing rusted aircraft parts, but no sign of recent human presence or new boxes.

"Nothing. Let's go back and take observation positions", she said.

The six of them returned to a spot on the edge of the forest from where they had a clear view of the airstrip and the barracks.

Kate contacted again the Hammersley, "X-Ray 82 to Charlie 82".

"Charlie 82 to X-Ray 82, I'm listening", Mike replied.

"Sir, we have inspected the base and there's no evidence of a recent presence here. We are in position to observe the airstrip and the barracks", she said.

"Copy that. Let me know as soon as you see or hear anything", he said.

"Yes sir", she replied.

"Over and out", Mike answered and he ended the connection.

She looked at Dutchy and said, "We have to contact the CO when we see or hear anything".

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "Contact him? Then it's time to be a little quiet ", he answered.

She rolled her eyes, "Exactly!"

"Pfft, hot!", said one of the men, grabbing a bottle of water.

"Save the water! We can't afford to ruin our presence here when it's the Hammersley that provides us with water", Dutchy said.

"Okay", said the man, putting the bottle back.

"When do we expect them?", asked another sailor.

Kate looked at her watch, "In three hours it's sunset, so we have to be vigilant and that until ten o'clock tomorrow morning", she said.

"Alright X", he said, making himself comfortable against a tree.

To be continued