Original Nine Airdate: 28/06/2011
After a wild night on the town in the port of Samjung, one member of the Hammersley crew wakes to find he has a crushing hangover, a beautiful woman by his side – and a wedding ring on his finger.
CO Mike Flynn (Ian Stenlake) had decided his team needed some R and R following a pitched battle with the men on board an FFV (foreign fishing vessel), after which Charge (John Batchelor) found himself in sympathy with the vessel’s master, Karno (Felix Kong).
As the men were detained and processed, Karno made a dive for freedom, with Charge plunging into the sea to save his life.
Karno declared he was “a dead man”, because his boss will surely have him killed for losing the fishing vessel, and it was Charge who persuaded Karno to testify in court against the boss, Horta Cheng (Alfred Nicdao).
Horta Cheng is believed to run at least 20 FFV’s, and Hammersley has been after him for three years. Karno’s crucial testimony may well close his operation down.
Having turned Karno over to the authorities, the crew hits the town and it is the usually conservative Charge who wakes the next day in the luxurious apartment of Lani (Hai Ha Le). She is his very new, very affectionate bride!
Having staggered back to the ship, Charge confesses his plight, to the great amusement of his crew mates, particularly Two Dads (Nikolai Nikolaeff), who warns Charge that Lani is using him to get herself a better life.
Meanwhile. XO Kate McGregor (Lisa McCune) is once again reunited with SAS agent Jim Roth (Ditch Davey) who makes his usual unexpected appearance. The chemistry between the two is not missed by Mike Flynn.
As ordered by Flynn, Charge goes back to Lani’s home to request an annulment but she begs him to reconsider, saying her father has arranged for her to marry and older man and that he will track her down if she humiliates him.
Then Charge learns that Kano has been released by the corrupt local authorities and is in danger, but by the time he and Two Dads reach the man’s boarding house they come under fire from men in a room where Kano is later found dead.
So, all the pieces on the board come together. Horta Cheng is not only Jim Roth’s target, suspected of financing a terrorist network, but he is also Lani’s father, leading to Charge and Lani to being captured by his people, then Charge being subjected to a series of brutal beatings as Horta Cheng seeks the names of “traitors” like Kano.
With Lani and a badly battered Charge on board, Cheng’s boat heads for the open sea, Hammersley in pursuit until they reach international waters.
A standoff results, the Hammersley RHIB crews unable to make a move because Cheng is holding a gun at Charge’s head. The situation is resolved when Jim Roth fires the last, angry shot.
