Chapter 62

The Queen nodded to Lt Cdr McGraw who activated the recorders.

"I call this meeting of the Commissioners for the Execution of the Duties of the Lord High Admiral to order. For the record those present are

Elizabeth III, Lord High Admiral

Earl Blue Hills, First Lord of the Admiralty

William Bruce, Baron Glanville, Prime minister

Duchess Francene Shadowdale, Chancellor of Exchequer

Admiral Sir Thomas Cassimatis, First Space Lord

Vice Admiral Dame Petra Dawsen, DNI

Rear Admiral Sir Roderick Milligan, Staff Officer, Plans

Admiral Sir Laurence Hernandes, Second Space Lord

Admiral Dame Diana Halliday, Third Space Lord

Rear Admiral Sir Silas Rowan, Director, Weapons Development

Vice Admiral Sir Reginald Deene, Fourth Space Lord

Lt Cdr McGraw, OME, Secretary to the Navy Board,

And, by my invitation,

The Lord Chief Justice.

The agenda for this meeting contains only one item,

"Gorgipest".

We are all aware of the history of events which happened but I want you to hear the opinion of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice?"

"Your Majesty, My Lords and Ladies.

The two series of events relevant to this matter are;

Firstly. The Flag Officer Commanding, Gorgipest, Admiral Joseph Higgins, was confronted by what his peers accept was an overwhelming enemy force which had destroyed part of his defending force. Admiral Higgins ordered the destruction of the Navy Yards. He ordered the evacuation of personnel deemed critical to the defence of the Realm. His fleet evacuated those persons and as many others as he could before fleeing from enemy contact. He abandoned the base, its contents and the planet to Republic of Harbourian control. Subsequently the enemy fleet retired leaving a guard of five battle cruisers, a light cruiser, two fast attack transports and two battalions of marines who were in the process of systematically rounding up prisoners and scouring the wreckage of the Navy Yards for intelligence.

Secondly. During the dying days of the Brown Hollow government, a squadron of old destroyers, being deemed beyond economic life and no longer fit for service, were decommissioned and their names removed from the Navy List. The Admiralty disposed of the vessels by contract to Charles Ferguson and Sons Pty of Gorgipest. The terms of the contract relevant are;

1. RMN would provide funds to Charles Ferguson and Sons Pty (the purchasers) to remove the vessels to Gorgipest;

2. RMN were to hire but not pay for civilian crews to ferry the vessels to Gorgipest. The crew would be paid by the purchaser; and

3. The purchaser would carry ex naval personnel to Gorgipest, these persons having joined in Gorgipest, at RMN expense.

The Purchaser arranged registration of the vessels under their serving names in the Caliphate of Madigar noting that the Purchaser had leased them to the Grenoble Government-in-exile. Letters of Marque were obtained for the ships from the Caliphate.

The ships were captained by officers who had served on HMS "Vance" and were crewed by approximately ninety ex naval personnel each, about half having served previously in the 119 DD Squadron which had comprised these vessels. All persons on those vessels were signed on as paid crew.

Upon arrival at Gorgipest, these vessels destroyed the five battle cruisers and the light cruiser and seized the two transports. In the course of the action an ex RMN destroyer, previously HMS "Vector", was destroyed with all hands.

The Commodore of the remaining vessels declared salvage over the planet including the Navy Yards and all Naval Stores on Gorgipest."

"Vance" and its cohorts had spent a leisurely journey to Gorgipest. The ships' companies had undertaken training and exercised aboard the ex warships without the pressure of formal naval discipline and had reached a high standard of efficiency for the very small numbers. These small numbers would allow only one bank of torpedoes or one side of gun mounts being manned after the bridge and engine room were manned. There had been much good natured chafing between spacers who had previously been on guns or on torpedoes as they worked side by side on either one.