Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Moving on Chapter 2


Lieutenant Commander Jimmy Webster POV

Today I get a phone call from Commander Steve Marshall asking me if I would be happy to do a swap with the CO of Hammersley.  Steve informed me that Mike Flynn had request urgent transfer for personal reasons and I was his first point of call since I am single so no family e.g. wife and kids to hold up a transfer or talk to about it.  I told Steve I would ring him back in an hour with my answer.  What the hell is going on that Mike is requesting transfer off Hammersley that is his baby and we all know that.  So I decided to ring Mike and found out what was going on. 

What a surprise I got when Mike told me it had to do with some woman.  Like any woman has been able to remove him from Hammersley oh par Maxine but then again it was the chief who made him take the promotion.  I asked him a few more question but he still was unsure if he should tell me I could tell he was holding back all info.  So I asked why he has to leave Hammersley since any woman would be land based and if he needs this transfer he better answer with the truth.  Well I nearly had a heart attack.  Mike Flynn was in love with his XO, they had something but she called it off.  And now he is struggling with that plus Maxine little bomb shell.  He told me he was prepared to give up the Navy for this woman but then she called it all off on him.  The poor bugga no wonder he wont’s to get away from cairns and as quickly as possible.  Between his Xo and Maxine he must be a wreck.  I told him I would do it for him since we are close friends and have been for years.  We both as bad as each other in a way.  We both love the sea and being out on it.

He has offered me the use of his house and car.  This was very nice of him.  So I did the same for him.  Why not we both helping each other out.  He told me he has not informed his crew or Navcom at cairns of what is happening and I am not allowed to tell anyone.  He does not won’t it to get out that he is leaving for Darwin.  He said between Kate giving him one of her throat ripping debates, now that sounds interesting wonder if I will get to experience them.  And Maxine trying to make him stay. He just does not won’t to deal with it all.

I asked Mike if this was the same person who has held his heart for the last nine years.  Yes I do know about that little lady he met when he was off teacher the navigation course at Watson Bay.  He came back not himself.  We were working on the same boat then.  He was only back a few weeks before he got command of Hammersley and I became his Xo but I did not last long maybe a year then I got promoted and sent to Darwin.  After I left I know he went through XO after XO till his current one arrived.  We would often chat about how useless some XO were.

He said he would email me everything I needed to know about his crew.  I said I would do the same.  But against his wishes I have spoken to my XO letting him know what is happening.  I know Mike won’t be happy but Pete will be.  I told Pete he is not to tell anyone about what is going on, but what surprised me as Pete asked for his details to be withheld from Mike as he would like to surprise Mike.  I told Pete that neither crew is to know till the day HMAS Larrakia Sails.  As Mike is still on Hammersley.  I did not tell Pete why Mike is transferring that is Mike’s right to inform them if he wants.

Anyway better get packing my flight leaves early tomorrow morning and when I land I have to head straight to the docks to see Mike.  Yep I told him I would come there first then he can show me a few little things before he leaves HMAS Hammersley for the final time.  I just hope his crew don’t hate me for knowing and keeping them in the dark about all of this.  And most of all Kate his XO.  How is she going to react to him leaving?  Only time will tell.

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