Chapter 11

"Caps in the corner Silas?"

Rowan nodded – accepting the person to person talk with no recriminations.

McCock went on.

"I didn't expect the paper to stay in house; I wanted it to get out with plausible deniability for you. She's going to get people killed unnecessarily.

She's got a wild hair up her arse.

There is no way you can expect a 'lighty' with enough spare power to mount a big bore energy weapon to take on a big boy. I don't think a destroyer could do it – not enough spare power. You rip the one thing that keeps light classes somewhat safe, the need not to have to close with the big boys – not to have to get into knife range. A single large bore energy mount will probably only damage a big boy, even though you'll blow a 'lighty' out of space you've still got to get in undetected. Any hyper capable ship no matter how good the EW is going to be detected even by an enemy lighty and it'll open the range and use missiles to keep that beast away. The losses will mount up and it ain't going to be cost effective. However I think if you could mount such a weapon on say small craft you've got a better chance of getting in undetected and swarm the big boy – a couple of squadrons of mobile energy mounts. Shove then out of something like a general cargo freighter – all that lovely space in those holds becoming hangers for pinnaces or whatever but the sticking point is that we don't have a power source available for small craft to mount a BB graser/laser turret. Satan's canines, you'd be better off strapping a missile nest to a pinnace with EW – at least the missiles carry their own power with them.

Anyone using Horrible's system had better hope they get in undetected, be bloody lucky with the first shot and then pray, light incense sticks, sing hymns, ask Murphy to intercede with whatever Deity they believe in to get out safe. There are just too many improbables. A lot of people are going to get the shit shot out of them trying to take on anything bigger than a CA and the lighter ones can stand off anyway."

Rowan considered McCock.

"You really do feel strongly about this, don't you? I don't know that I fully agree with you but it certainly ain't gonna be examined closely. She's painted herself into a corner. I've got to write your fitness report – don't worry, she doesn't see it, it goes from me to Laurence. Take a month's leave – you have it coming- I'll consult with Sir Laurence to ... see where ... we ... can put ... you."

Rowans gaze went blank as he considered the ceiling.

Minutes passed.

"Now that's an idea ... we could use the Crypt too." Rowan after what seemed like an eternity, shifted his gaze back to McCock,

"Get out of here. Back in a month. The Crypt too."

He pulled a card out of his desk draw, quickly completed it, checked his calendar, made an entry on his PDA and passed the card to McCock.

McCock collected the card and his belongings and walked out in his socks. He didn't pass anyone coming in.

"I agree we can't afford to break up the team, but how are you going to keep them under cover so Diana won't see them, Silas?"

Rowan started to lean back and then remembered where he was – sitting at the side table with Sir Laurence Hernandes looking over Settlement.

"Bye the bye, here's Aggy's Fitness Report – yeh! he walks on water, jumps over mountains, performs miracles on demand and all that; I looked at that simulator competition 'Red' Milligan told me about – the Crypt completely blindsided me there, underhand sneaky bastards, they knew I couldn't consent to such an inexperienced collection of misfits entering the competition at those levels. That dumb blond, Denholt, he just seems to become part of his computer. You know part of it required the competitors to swap positions for each event?"

"That was what impressed 'Red'. That's another sneaky sod, he just sauntered in the morning after acting all unconcerned but I know him - served together as junior officers on the old "Monmouth"- and I knews he was jumping about inside. I nearly burst into hysterics when I realized he was clueless on the Crypt's rank structure – 'Just kids fresh out of the academy'. 'No real space time etc, etc!' Wanted to take them under his wing, bring them along – once Red got his claws into them, I'd never get them back. Back to your idea ... Aggy's people skills still down?"

"Much better particularly 'on duty' but outside that he still has the occasional stumble. The Crypt's have gone up more relatively speaking but McCock's last little episode means we're got no hope of sending them to Officer School. Look, I have a genuine project I want to set up and the Crypt, their identities and ranks aren't widely known despite all their exposure on the manning project..."

As Rowan explained his scheme, Sir Laurence became more relaxed, sinking deeper into his chair.