Chapter 22

Angie came into the Purser's outer office as Sally had established the link and was waved by that worthy to the guest's chair. Sally put the link on speaker.

"Trudie, Sally, how are you? How are the boys?"

"If you mean our two, they are getting on fine. If you mean your lot, they are driving Barati crazy. He says whenever he talks to one of them he has to measure his height and then remember the line of them before he can guess the name of the lad he is talking to; otherwise they are all joining in the selfdefense training and the arms training and studying. Walter and Matthew team up against Gus and Sabajhi with Peter lording it over them as referee. James and Dorian stop it when it gets too rough except when Peter and Dorian team up against James and the rest sit back and offer pointers; then when the Ghorkhali children join in the whole property is seething with running, fighting, laughing, screaming kids. The others troop off to work, you disappear and Rein and I are looking for a nice quiet asylum to commit ourselves to. It is hard work but yes I would rather be doing something else like force feeding a full grown white bear. Now tell me that you have been enjoying yourself and I will declare you an enemy for life."

Sally was by this time laughing outright at the tale of woe,

"Trudie, I have an offer of escape for a while. In about two weeks Aggy is planning a business expedition off planet and wants Nan, Rein and yourself to form part of his staff; he anticipates a week's briefing and then the trip. Also Bollinger is looking at some beefed up security down here and wants forty Ghorkhali to train up asap. Can you manage that please? Sir Henry can make arrangements to have them picked up at the Bollard House pad tomorrow and brought down. Pay rates will be as what Uncle Gus was paying the twenty."

"Sally, why is it I feel the need of the services of a mathematics department. I will pass the invitation on. I'll talk to Barati and perhaps have him com you; at the "Trader"? Good! You know..."

The friends talked on for a while about events and happily broke off the com.

"Why is it that I felt she didn't fully swallow your story, Sally?"

"Because she knows Aggy, Angie, because she knows him too well."

R1's transponder signal was recognised by Mountserrat approach as she came through the hyper limit to be met by the transport shuttle bearing the Ghorkhali. Once transferred to R1, they were met by Avers crewmen who handed each four seal bags and advised the Havildar and Naiks on their purpose. The group were ushered to the troops' lounge and instructed on strapping in. A short briefing was translated by the Havildar on what to expect and R1 returned to hyper. The Ghorkhali had been advised by Sir Henry about the unwisdom of even small meals and Barati had simply made that an order. Despite that, there were some uncomfortable people when R1 translated out of hyper over Gorgipest but none that disorientated to render them unfit for space travel. For all of them this was their first venture off planet and on their first journey had been among the first to travel through cosmic space unbeknownst to them as galactic geography was not a major part of their syllabus.

The Ghorkhali were quartered in "Trader's" crew space leaving the Havildar to handle the gender issues. They were mustered in the passengers' dining hall for a short welcome by Sir Henry. Then Theo and Paul Avers described the vessel in which they were located and they divided into groups under a Naik for a tour of the "Trader" and the working areas; after which a light meal was served. The first afternoon was given over to several lectures on techniques involved in being a bodyguard. Sir Joshua and MFH had arranged for a security firm who drew its staff from ex-naval infantry to instruct on this subjects. Then a rest period before an evening meal with all the GmBH staff and tradesmen.

That was the last easy period they had for three weeks. Their knowledge of self defence and basic infantry skills (here the females were at a training disadvantage, but as one of the instructors remarked 'show them once and the males had better step aside') were orientated to defence of an individual. Practical lessons were conducted dirtside using all environments. The evenings were spent on communication skills, a widening of their political horizons to enable a better threat assessment and on over view of enemy tactics.

The dirtside exercises did lead to an advantage. The EVA / pilot suit manufacturer witnessed one of the exercises and presented Sir Henry a benefit. The business in the factory next to the suit manufacturer was a material extruder who often cooperated with each other in their products. There was available a material which could be made to look as if normal attire which was proof against hand held projectile weapons and gave considerable protection against beam weapons in the same class. At this time, the only colour available was a dark grey cloth. It could also be made into close fitting undergarments. There was a down side in that only special seaming machines could be used to do the joins. The troops were then subjected to the indignity of being, in small groups after the end of formal evening lectures, stripped and measured for this clothing and then later fitting. Their muttering did not reach the volume of protests raised later by the staff ladies. That is until one of the tailoresses produced a series of very old prints of something described as Saucy Victorian Corsetry at which the rush was on to add lace and stitching to the garments. The Ghorkhali females rapidly took note and they had a tribal memory of very elaborate embroidery upon which to draw.

R1, R2, "Shriek" and the Riders' shuttles gained further experience in cosmic space with the crew members being restricted to returning ex "Giant" spacers and officers. The exTQO personnel were distributed through GmBH's yards; Ferguson's, the UVA and U90 plant, the Armed Cutter plant and auxillary to that was a downgraded production line of Gnats of two per month. The plan was to retrain spacers into tradesmen and semiskilled workers. The spacers were supervised by the Avers from the "Skunkwerks" which was in care and maintence. Not all the TQO chose to return; some took their discharge and retired and a few others joined the RMN. Training conducted by the Avers was on the job and for many of them it was as if TQO had never existed. For the three hundred and sixty six, however, there always remained a question of what could have been.