Chapter 24

The "Hebrides Trader" was pushed into position and Galbraith's team swarmed over her securing her to the dock. A temporary bridge was placed from the flivver lock, No 4, to the "Trader's" starboard side passenger access. Leaving a disgusted Cowboy to man the coms in the dock, the Flock exited No 4 lock in skin suits and joined a pleased Toby Galbraith just inside the opened passenger access. Slow made the introductions.

"I commed Slow before we began the tow. She told me of your plans so I took my engineer down to the engine room. When we got underway we checked the bunker and put our portable auxillary power on the boards. "Grease" looked like a 'puma eyeing off a mobile meal when the boards lit up. He jumped all over the room like a demented tree climber and had me running about checking things. Everything was in the green; we both agreed so he fired the engines up. They are slowly firing up and he has volunteered to monitor until a full power test. He has already done the stand by and cruise settings. He's enjoying himself."

He smiled at the disgusted Polack. Polack grated,

"I'll go and give him a hand, shall I?"

Everybody nodded agreement and a couple of chuckles came over the suit coms. Toby's comments,

"Pity gravity isn't up. He could have impressively stalked off" raised louder chortles.

"I'll remember this," came Polack's voice.

McCock commiserated,

"Its not often that an engineer fires up a plant from shut down and I know I felt quite satisfied when I did it." Slow cocked her head at him. "We took a freighter out of mothballs my second last year at A and M and the parents put me in the crew – summer vac- out to Scapa to bring her back to the Junction and the Chief baby sat me while I fired up main engines. It went into my log as "In command under supervision"; I got the ticket as assistant engineer for that. Have to do another four. Come to think of it, that might be why Polack is feyed off; he'd have had to have a chief supervising."

Denny made a discourteous sound,

"That wouldn't have stopped him. He was doing a lot of reading and I'll wager that what it was."

"Too late anyway now", remarked Toby. "I'll bring the crew over tomorrow just after first light and get onto joining the No3 hatch to your dock. You might want to take a holiday for a few days. We have a pre-fab tunnel we'll put in. It's got the iris gates at each end. Suit?" They shook hands and Denny and McCock returned to the No4 hatch; Slow went off with Toby to inspect the No2 suite.

When the Flock re assembled in the Rec Room during 2nd day, the subject was the possible vacation. Polack and Slow volunteered to cover the time frame and would com the others when the work was completed.

McCock expressed his surprise,

"You are volunteering?"

Cowboy and Denny laughed. Cowboy explained their mirth,

"Teeth, Polack wants to play with his engines- his own personal engine room; Slow wants to decorate her suite and finangle Galbraith to put in her picture window, probably put some hooks into him too, come to think of how she look at him."

"You lot are really off limits so what's a girl to do?"

No one bothered to handle that one and a general discussion followed.

The Flock agreed that the accommodation of the "Trader" was to be their homes with all the access to outsiders that meant. The crew accommodation was to be completely sealed off to outsiders. Access to "A" hold was through the crew's quarters but was under no circumstances to be used by outsiders. Access to the office from the yard and 'front' office was by invitation of a member of the Flock and only on dock business. That meant that the security on No 4 hatch was to be by scanner. Access to tween decks forbidden to outsiders; A hold business only by invitation and B hold totally off limits and access only from B tween across the tweens from the crew' quarters. Next morning, Toby commed McCock for a meeting. McCock let him in through No 4 as he was already through the crew's quarter from "A" hold where his crew had already inserted the hatch which was alongside the Yard He took his seat in the Cabin where McCock had steered him. After they made themselves comfortable with Toby doffing his soft helmet, Toby started,