Chapter 9: Sweet Wet Kisses

Day Sixteen

As soon as it was light, the newly promoted Francesca roused Frieda, and they swam out to the wreck. They soon discovered that the hold was divided into three sections and only one of them had been explored so far. With January upon them by this time, the water was getting extremely uncomfortable to work in and only Frieda, as ever, was happy in their task. Francesca willed herself into thinking she was really swimming in a warm sea off the coast of an Indian Ocean atoll, as she had been not so long ago when on holiday with her father on one of his 'diplomatic' visits.

He hadn't been such a bad father in some ways, she mused as they painstakingly inspected the rest of the ship, making a note of any moveable items that might be of use to them. He was a hard man and with a sadistic streak a mile wide, but he loved his daughter in his own way and would be missing her now that she was gone. She was surprised in some ways that he had not ordered a more thorough search for her body, but perhaps he had not discovered that she had been on the ship. And doubtless there were other things on his mind, what with the simmering rebellion away to the north.

The North! Gosh, what hardships a band of naked Amazons would suffer up there if and when they went to join the fighting! Down here snow was a rarity and frosty nights could be counted on the fingers of one hand, but up there! It frightened Francesca, sometimes, to think what she had let herself in for. She only hoped that Spring would have arrived before they set off for those parts! In the meantime, this cold and watery five days would be useful acclimatisation!

As they surfaced for the twentieth time, she told Frieda to head for the rock and she swam after her. Heaving themselves out of the water, they allowed themselves to dry off in the sun, only imperceptibly higher in the sky, a week after the Winter Solstice.

Frieda sat looking at the water as though she couldn't wait to plunge back into it! Francesca was not quite so keen. She stood, balanced precariously on the knife edged unevenness of the rocks and did a few very violent exercises. As soon as she was as warm as she was ever likely to be for the next few days, she spoke to Frieda.

"How is that back in all the salt water"

"OK, Fran. It's done it good, I think. I can't believe how fast you recovered, though, from your flogging!. Amazing!"

"I have a rank now, Brown. And the power to award punishments for minor offences, such as addressing officers by their first name. Five lashes is the going rate, I believe!"

"Sorry, Ma'am. It won't happen again. I was forgetting,. I suppose it was because we've had such a splendid morning. I'm a soldier, I can take my punishment, Ma'am."

Francesca's face broke into a broad and mischievous smile.

"How are we going to get through that bulkhead, Frieda? (and forget my rank out here - I was just having a cruel little joke)"

" I don't know Fran. I really don't. I think there must be another way into that part of the hold. Somewhere under all that mess is a way down, I'm certain."

Francesca nodded. She was trying so hard, as ever, to recall all the details of the ship on which she had spent a mere seventy two hours, mostly below decks.

"Come on old thing, lets get back to the fray! And I agree. We will go over every inch of that deck and try to se what we can shift ourselves. Otherwise we'll have to get all hands out here - and that would be fun to watch!"

Frieda laughingly agreed. Some of the squad were highly aqua phobic! She was a happy girl now she knew Francesca's new status was not going to spoil their friendship - at least out here.

By the time the light was too bad to work by, they had shifted much of the debris from the deck. It was a lot easier that had at first seemed possible. As they swam wearily back to shore, Francesca outlined her plan of campaign for the next day.

"We'll try and find a couple of nice sharp knives, darling, and swim out with them in our teeth! Just try not to cut yourself, you silly cow!"

Frieda took advantage of their last moments of intimacy to drag Francesca under the water. The pair finally came out laughing hysterically and with their arms round each others' shoulders.

Frieda was the first, with her training, to return to normal. Francesca might have humanised this little tough-girl to some extent, but she still knew better than to risk offending Angela. She saluted Francesca and asked for permission to be dismissed.

"Permission granted, Brown. Oh - and, Brown"

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Thanks. You did a good job out there, well done!"

Unfortunately for both of them, Angela had seen the horseplay and frowned angrily. The return to the proper military protocols once the two were ashore did something to restore her good humour, but she still resolved to have a word with her second-in-command on matters of discipline. Both she and Frieda had lessons to learn - painful ones for Frieda, who ought to know better! She ordered the nearest girl to ask Francesca to report to her at once.

After their little chat Francesca returned to the cave and her bed, a rather chastened young lady. Angela might not be too bright, but she had a way with words when it came to scathing abuse and coarse invective. Francesca did not want to endure another verbal assault like that for a while! She had been left in no doubt that there must be no repetition of that familiarity with a subordinate. Angela had rubbed salt in the wound by directing Francesca to be personally responsible for the said subordinate's very painful punishment.