Chapter 10

A disheveled McCock was asleep on Marty's seat with his head on his arms on the table. His light pack was bunched up under them as Rowan came in 3006's door. McCock stank of engine room.

Rowan shook him by the shoulder, nodded at the Dungeon's door, looked into the scanner and pushed the door open. McCock followed him and then stood looking like a tired lost browbeaten school kid.

Rowan filled a coffee cup, thrust it into McCock's hands, nodded towards the fresher and said,

"Here, get outside of this and get cleaned up. You smell to high heaven."

Fifteen minutes later, McCock reappeared wearing clean underblouse, summer weight work trousers and socks. He sat opposite Rowan in response to the ritual hand wave.

"The high quarters are saturated with lube."

"What happened – from the beginning."

""Pendragon" had just reported in when the message came in the Ensign HMS McCock RMN was to be picked up by escort in a pinnace inside the outer ring. I didn't correct the RMN. Didn't have a clue what was going on but knew it had to be Navy because if it had been personal I'd have been told. There was a very courteous but totally uncommunicative Marine 2nd lieutenant to collect me – I don't think he knew what was going on either – and escort me to the pinnace – the Admiral's pinnace, Diana's personal flivver. So I had a good idea what had happened. At least I was able to snooze on the trip home. Took about four hours. We docked at the Admirals' ramp and I was escorted to her outer office. Percy Gantry was waiting for me and he looked right pissed off, didn't say a word to me either just pointed to a chair. Escort and I sat – must have been uncomfortable for the Marine as he was sitting at attention, at least I squirmed around. Percy gave me a dirty look each time I moved. About an hour later a door slammed sounded like from the inner office – it was. After another half hour a buzzer sounded and Percy pointed me at the inner office door. Percy waved the Marine back. Marched in and halted before her desk. She was in full regalia, mess dress, medals, sash, orders the lot. I was about to report but she held up her hand, then she put both hands flat on the desk,

"Don't say a word."

She regarded me like I was something she wanted to scrape off her boot.

"When I want advice I'll ask experts. I won't ask a snotty nose wet behind the ears Ensign whose ship time is nil and probable can't find..."

I switched off about then; she really wasn't going to say anything of merit so I waited her out; it was short and sweet at least. Came back in as she was winding down.

" ... I want you out of the Bureau, out of the yard and out of the Navy as soon as possible. Report to your department and wait for Captain Rowan. Dismissed."

Walked out, picked up the escort, caught the air-shuttle and came here. Had to leave the Marine at the outer gate. He didn't have a card and I wasn't going to play nice and let him in. He's probably still around outside somewhere."

"Saw him looking lost and after I found out he was your escort I sent him off to where ever marines go."

"Probably the 'streets of heaven'."

Rowan looked puzzled.

"Old earth Marine marching ballad."

Rowan leant back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. McCock had seen the posture many time in the past and waited for the lecture.

"She can't get you out of your Navy. Heaven's sake she couldn't even get you out of the Royal Navy. She'd have to Court Martial you and that paper would have to come in evidence. It's too good to just dismiss it out of hand and that means her whole policy would be open to the court – in secret session of course but you can bet it would get out. She's got too many enemies who'd use it to tear her down. You'd be finished but so would she. I had to spell it out for her in words of one syllable – hasn't done me much good but don't worry" said he shrugging off McCock's dismay "I'm where I want to be and if she really wants to get rid of me and I don't think so she'll have to get me a promotion transfer and Laurence Hernandes says he's got just the spot for me if I want a flag.

But you are out of here and we don't know what to do with you.

I'm sorry Aggy, I really tried to head her off by stretching it that you were an Ensign straight from the Academy but it wasn't very diplomatic of you to write a paper on a matter outside your area of accepted expertise. How you could think that time bomb would stay in house here? – aarggh" and threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Caps in the corner, Silas?"