I'm so sorry about the long delay in posting but for some time I could not write as my computer packed up and I had to wait to get it fixed because of this virus.
Just as I was getting some of my life back after Kevin died, his sister and best friend suddenly died of the same cancer that had taken Kevin. It's a long story that I will not bore you with. I just hope that she and Kev are back together in spirit.
During the time I am writing this chapter I will be donating to nifty as a sort of thank you to the guys who have added every story I have submitted since I began writing in 2009. You have been great to me and in your own way helped me come to terms with the loss of Kevin.
If you lads would like to join me, feel free.
Right, back to business. The LJP could be about to engage in her most difficult action yet.
Only those attacking have a pre plan on how to go about their actions, defenders can only react when the attack becomes clear and Scott hoping he could manage what could lead to his biggest challenge yet.
M/V Lady Jean Peterson
Chapter 28
By BobbyG
Scott looked around the crew and all of them wondering who would be asked to become acting First Officer. Scott smiled when he looked at Marcel who was staring at his captain with a seductive smile, his head to one side, flashing his eyes.
"You can take that off your face, I need an adult not someone just out of nursery school." Marcel lent into Jon for comfort. Jon also smiled at Scott and blew a kiss. "I wouldn't put you in charge of washing up let alone my ship!" They cuddled one another and, as always, the crew loving it and them.
"Jerry, it will be you, no arguing just accept this chance of a lifetime and have a word with Paul before he goes to the O6 and find out just what shit your in for. Right, now you all know that lets get on unless there's anything you want to add Jerry?"
"I don't think I would dare Skip. I will just lay back and think of England."
"You do that already." George had a massive smile on his face.
"Can we move on please Skip?"
"Good idea, but just to say your not alone Jerry, Andrew thinks about America quite a lot when he's on his back apparently." Scott smiled at his husband and knew England would have a problem later.
"Ok, I will get a bit more serious and bring this to an end and meet up again after I have met with Captain Taylor and made a few phone calls. I will leave it to you guys to get your weapons and everything else over to the O6. We will meet here later and hope things will be a lot clearer.
During the next few hours Scott would be very busy and no time to himself or with Andrew. He first met with Bob Taylor who would have no problem following Scott's direction of any attack. "When the guys come over I would like to have a meeting here Bob if that's ok with you, I have a few things I need to get thoughts on."
"Fine by me. Look Scott, I agree with you this could be the biggest attack on any ship since this piracy began and I will do everything I can to stop my ship being taken and if that includes firing directly at them, so be it."
When he got back he rang the companies security office.
"So what's happening with this Barnes Willis guy. Have you cleared him yet?"
"Scott there is a gap in his movements and we can't find what he was up to in 2005 and 6. He says he was in India helping with a irrigation programme, he says he was working with others sinking ring wells but we can't find out who with. He says it was with a bunch of guys from all over the UK who met on line and agreed to raise funds to carry out the work. He says it took nine months to raise the money and a year in India."
"That it?"
"Yes Scott."
"I want him here first thing tomorrow. Get him to pack his gear and some knickers then drive him down here."
"Yes Captain. He will be with you by midday." He rang Peter Fellows in Yorkshire.
"Well well well Scott, I think I could be about to put a smile on your face!"
"I'm already smiling Peter, tell all."
"You are one lucky bugger. I called in a few favours and have had three lads helping us get four containers together. We worked all night and have tested them and Scott they are going to be bad assed fuckers. We loaded two containers to a helicopter the same as yours and they are perfect for what you want. The containers are bigger than the one's you have now. At the front is an electric motor that drives a plunger which pushes the oil out of two valves at the rear. From what we have found so far is that the boys will get six to eight passes before they need a refill of that shit. But captain that's not all and as payment you and Andrew can sleep with Jimmy and me when you get back home."
"Sod off."
"Thought you would say that, good job we like you two. We realised that instead of iron filings, aluminium would be much better as it is much lighter and will mix better. One of the lads has been on the cutter for hours and we now have thousands of 2mm diamond shaped shards. The lad who cut them put a load in a tank of sand and blasted them, they came out all twisted and very sharp. We have tested two of the containers and all I will say I would hate a load of that shit on me. I stuck my arm in the mix and spun it round for a few seconds and trust me, I wont be doing that again, it took some time to pull the shards out. The vibration when in flight will mix the aluminium just fine and using old oil will be good as it will not only stink like shit the oil will be much thinner and discharging it will be much better than clean stuff."
The call went on for much longer. Scott would be telling the boys and crew later, meanwhile he hoped Reggie and Freddie would agree to drive north and pick up the new containers which would be full and a load of shards which would now be called "bits."
He had one more thing to do and went to see Don Black, one of the dock managers and asked him to get 100 sand bags and a load of sand to fill the bags.
"Do you want my guys to fill them Scott?"
"No thanks, I have three volunteers to fill them not that they know it yet, I just need it all by tomorrow. Oh, nearly forgot, can you organise a van for me and park it by the Jean, cheers Don."
Now back on board he called William to give him an update which took some time and was about to finish; "Scott I wonder if you and I could meet up at about 7 tonight at the Mayfair for a meal and chat?"
"Just me dad?"
"If you don't mind son, um, well it's a dad and son thing, ah I need to run something past you."
"Of course, see you at seven." He hung up and called Andrew.
"I bet he is shitting himself Scott, hope you make it easy for him. Hey! Just think I will have a mother in law and you....."
"A friend who will be married to my father and I know Brenda will think that as well. There is no way she would try to take mum's place. I love her to death and I could not be more happy for them, but I will be honest it will take some getting used too." He looked at the time. "Come on we have a crew meeting and then there will be time for goodbyes."
Scott informed them all that Peter had told him, then continued with the rest of it.
"The containers can be refilled without taking them off. There is a filler near the front of the canisters. You engineers will have to come up with a tank to hold several gallons of old oil and bits and a means to refill the canisters from it. Oil is released at the rear via sprung valves which open as the plunger is operated. Peter told me there could possibly be leaks from it but he doesn't think it will be a problem. When you boys attack you will have to use alternate containers otherwise the helicopters balance will be effected. We will practise turn rounds of the helicopters as we sail, you four need to get that to a fine art and I think you should aim for a 3 minuet turn round before you start up ready for Jon's next flight.
Marcel, Jon and Shawn. Tomorrow 100 sand bags and a supply of sand will arrive and I want you lads to fill them, they will be taken on board and transferred to the O6 when we meet up and you guys will place them as you need them.
Reggie and Freddy will you please drive to Yorkshire tomorrow to pick up the new containers, a van will be here by this evening.
I will be going to the O6 with the guys to discuss our response to attack with Captain Taylor as he has to agree with my thoughts, but I will tell you now.This will be the case regardless of how they attack, either at both of us or on one ship. If they attack with all boats on the Jean I will catch up with the O6 that will bring them into range of our weapons but at the same time send Marcel off to carry out his attacks. As I have mentioned before I will send Jon off a few minutes later. When Marcel returns Andrew and Theo will turn his helicopter round and start it up, after Jon lands he will fly off Marcel's. Marcel then attacks with the bullets. This is how we will defend even if they attack both ships. I think it's generally agreed that they will attack the O6 with all boats in the hope to take her and force us to pack it in.
As soon as they come on the Hawk I will ask Captain Taylor to turn to face the attack which has never happened before and I hope to confuse them by doing so. I will also turn towards them and fly Marcel off at maximum range. There will be no warning shots. During the time we are attacking them I will turn us round to fire off stern grenades but I want to get amongst them and try to break them up. This of course will change as the attack is in force.
Right, I need to tell you this, Captain Taylor is adamant that if his ship comes under attack that could result in a boarding, he has informed me he will turn his weapon on the pirates in this event. I cannot ask that of you guys and all I can hope is that we beat them off without causing injuries or worse."
"Skip?"
"Yes Paul."
"I am only speaking for myself, but I will say this, I will fire my weapons along side Captain Taylor and will help him to stop any pirate from taking his ship regardless of the outcome for pirates."
"Do you need to add to that Mathew? I hope you do."
"Yes Skip I do. I told you when we first met I would not fire on a live target again. I wont go into details but you must know a snipers role is to fire on a target that have no knowledge that they have become one. This is different as we will definitely come under fire and when we do and you agree, I will fire to stop a boarding."
"Ok thanks, we need to talk about Bob's and Jan's firing when we get to the O6 and that will be in exactly one hour."
"So, do you really think dad will be asking you about marrying Brenda?" They had just got out of the shower and laying on the bunk for a few minutes.
"Well I'm sure it's not bad news otherwise he would have asked me to go home to be told. That can only mean he wants to talk about something really personal, but there is one thing, I just know he will feel guilty about not including you and I bet you a wank to a fuck he will text me asking that you go as well." Andrew looked at his husband with a resigned look on his face.
"I just hope your wrong Snotty, oh Jesus I just hope your wrong for once!"
Saying goodbye to the one you love so much and knowing for sometime life would be much more than difficult the atmosphere on the Jean was not at it's best. Jerry knew it and would risk becoming the most unpopular member of the crew by performing as a first officer should.
After private time in cabins they all left for the O6. She was ready to leave in an hours time and the Lady Jean's crew in Bob Taylors cabin. All this was about was firing positions. Paul would go through it.
"Captain, you fire from the bridge wings, Jan you will be on the fly bridge and Mathew and I will be on the main deck. Without going into more detail because we don't know how the attack will pan out but Mathew and I agree that we will open fire at 1000 yards, we will aim to miss but they will know they are being fired on. As they get nearer we will fire to hit the hulls. I will tell you Captain and Jan when to fire and that will be at the nearest boats.
We will have good communication between ourselves and with Skip and of course we will have quite a lot of time to talk about all this as we sail.
It had been a tough goodbye and now Scott and the whole crew were out on deck to wave the O6 off as she slipped her moorings and sailed slowly away. Paulina was between Reggie and Freddie. Jerry and George comforted Thomas, but Theo stood by himself a distance away. He was still under the influence of his upbringing which forbade him to show any feelings that his father would have disapproved of and would beat him until he, "manned up." He stood with his eyes fixed on Royston, with tears falling down his cheeks.
Much was to happen before it was time for Scott to go and meet William. A truck pulled up with a load of sand and sand bags with Marcel, Jon and Shawn cussing their captain in their own languages as they filled all 100 of them.
A van arrived and Reggie and Freddy talking to the man that the boys were a bit pissed off with and Scott happily knowing they would be.
"Skip would you mind if we left now? It would give us a bit of time together and a break at a nice hotel for the night."
"Seems reasonable, but I bet there's something else why you asked."
"You know us too well Scott. We are sure Jerry has got something very unpleasant up his sleeve to subject us to when you go to meet Sir William and we are sure it will be very physical."
"Glad I will be out of it in that case, of course escape as soon as you can. Have a good trip." Scott now had time to think about meeting William in a few hours and still not had a message to bring Andrew with him, so he phoned.
"Hi dad, just thought you would want to know the O6 is at sea and all the extras on board."
"Yes I already know son. Is there something else?"
"No, not really, just doing some company business then get ready to met you at 7, looking forward to a bit of just son and dad time."
"Do you mind me not inviting Andrew?" Scott smiled to himself, the wank or fuck bet was going to be a win win anyway, but if he lost Andrew would never let him forget it.
"No dad, he is fine about it, he just said he hopes to see you before we sail that's all."
"Of course we will, you have two days yet, maybe you could both come over tomorrow?"
"That's fine, must go and finish off, see you later." William turned his phone off and sat thinking why Scott had called. He would not know that both Scott and Andrew had already worked out the reason why he wanted to meet with just Scott but would also not know about the bet. "That buggers up to something........" He opened his phone again and text Andrew.
"Andrew please come to the Mayfair tonight, I will send the car back to pick you up after Scott arrives. Your daft husband is up to something so please don't say anything to him, just walk in and watch his face." Andrew didn't know it just then, but he was going to have quite an influence on the meeting.
Brenda Rhodes had been appointed as a cook/ house keeper exactly one year before Scott was born and had been in service to the Peterson's for 23 years before her best friend had been murdered. Brenda had struggled to come to terms with her own loss but did not show it because of her need to help William and Scott come to terms with theirs and became a massive reason why they did.
During the time of William's physical convalescence he would only allow Brenda to attend to him and became his only carer. And so, what with Scott's massive support and Brenda taking on her role, William was helped through that very dark tunnel that he thought he would never emerge from.
During those many months their friendship became as close as it's possible to become and William in deep thought.
"Brenda, get me a whisky please and whatever you want then sit down, I want to make a fool of myself." She did as asked and waited for her boss.
William had thought for weeks how he would talk to Brenda and finally ask her to marry him and of course it all went completely different to what he had rehearsed many times, but sort of got it right and in particular the last bit.
He spoke of all that they had experienced after Jean had been killed and the help he had got from Scott.
"That boy saved my life Brenda but he had help, a lot of it and it came from you." He went on for sometime and Brenda wondering where all this was going and was about to be utterly surprised.
"Brenda, I'm really making a pigs ear of this so I had better just come out with what I need to ask you........ Brenda, will you please marry me!"
Brenda just sat there staring at the man she had more than great feelings for but would never make it obvious. Her close relationship with Lady Jean and her love for her friends husband was all that she had ever needed and apart from sub conscious thoughts, dismiss all of them.
She stared at William, "Why?"
"Because I know Jean would want that but Brenda, I am asking you thinking that's what Jean would want for us, but my dear lady, it's because that's what I would like anyway."
"I wont take the title William, I am no fucking lady anyway...........! and yes I accept but only if Scott also excepts ad we both know he could have a huge issue."
"Well my handsome husband, it seems as though I am not wanted to be part of the meeting tonight. I don't have a problem with that, but my dear Brit boy when you come back get your bum ready." They hugged goodbye and Scott left and handed his ship over to Jerry.
"Hi dad, this is nice, just us."
I have cut this chapter short because it's been so long since the last one. I am very sorry for the delay and not trying to make excuses, so I wont! Hope you are all well and coping with these troubling times.
winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk