Chapter 23

McCock utilized the time between his cabin watches and sleep time in accessing the Naval dockyard library on the black computer. The Head Librarian would have been horrified to learn that anyone could access the memory of the Library. The security and counter intelligence at the yard would have had a collective coronary if they had known that an outsider could get in and just how deep the penetration was. The Library had access to most but not all of the secrets of the Weapons' Development Bureau. The limitation did not trouble McCock as he had told Cowboy, the systems had to be proven or at least off the drawing board before they would be used in the HAC.

Cowboy poked his head into the "Secure Room" which in the context of the GmBH at that time existed only because of the difficulty an outsider had of getting physical access.

"Watcha, Aggy."

McCock waved him to the second chair. As Cowboy settled in McCock explained,

"I'm running some ideas about our hull through the Architect files in the Yard Library and I stumbled across this experimental courier design – nothing came of it. I do this and this look what we've got" as he manipulated the programme's functions.

"Still looks military if we are for a racing yacht," observed Cowboy.

"There's always a market for a military surplus; no, not at the very top of the racing yacht market but looking beyond that market, and remember we are developing a craft for a space race."

Polack joined them and scissored his legs around the rail,

"Thought I heard noises. Whats that? Looks sexy."

Slow edged in alongside Polack.

"What's this, male bonding class? No warship looks 'sexy'. That certainly doesn't, it just looks brutal."

McCock brought them up to scratch. They looked at the scrolling display as the specifications of the original design flashed and then changed to suit the changed shape.

"There's a light freighter power plant available which can be tweaked that might fit," suggested Polack as he reached across McCock to make an entry. The drawings and details of the plant flashed up, "see if it fits."

McCock went back to the original screen and dragged the news information across. The computer digested the news meal and then spat out the warning in flashing red letters across the bottom of the screen,

AT FULL POWER OF ENGINE, IMPELLERS BEYOND TOLERANCE

Polack was unconcerned, "Ask it to assess current service impellers for compatibility, doesn't like that at all."

Polack reconsidered his problem as he gazed abstractedly at the 'puter screen. Slow offered,

"Why not try for known impellers which could be fitted with only minor, ho ho, hull changes that will not alter the acceleration we want?"

The 'puter was not pleased with that.

HULL STRENGTH OF THIS DESIGN UNDER TOLERANCE FOR 600 GRAVITIES.

Cowboy stirred himself,

"Those two warnings give brain workouts. I'd not wanted to do this pre disapora with no 'puters."

McCock regarded Polack,

"Bye the bye, I can't give you your gravity, nor atmosphere."

Polack groaned and the others raised eyebrows as he continued,

"Consider it. The barge works within atmospheres – well sort of – and also gravity. It was constructed with molecular seaming which gives a stronger join in atmosphere. It also isn't as exposed in the harbour to space radiation – the planetary electromagnetic field offers some protection. For even a racing space yacht the hull has to handle accumulated radiation. Praise Deity we don't have to work with hyperspace and sails. That means particle bonding and that only joins in vacuum and gravity even in a dock can affect the quality of the bond."

"Besides the argument" smirked Cowboy at Polack, "warships are fabricated in space. Aggy, racing yachts are crewed in skin suits – the double skin is too expensive and that saving goes into bottles, impellers and compensators." He answered his own question, "but we could go for a racing design to compete but have a very fast space yacht for the super rich who are turned on by velocity to impress their friends but don't want to go hyperspace. 'Way, what I was going to mention before we got off onto hulls, your nest missile idea lit my light; large ship, say BC up, counter missile missiles. Their acceleration is enough to run over most things a HAC would meet; that hull you've got there would work if enough spare power for management of firing data, ignition and some for inflight corrections. Size of the project says the requirement is for single shot tubes and no magazine;" he paused refectively, "I want light weapons multiple firing capacity to deal with the smaller targets. Anything needing missiles is either destroyed or we are vacating the AO at speed."