Chapter 32

And so it came to pass.

Several weeks later, a com was passed to McCock at "The Green Man" as he arrived on a break from GmBH. The Flock had been working extremely long hours. They were beginning to suffer the effects and tempers were becoming thinned and responses sometimes were abrupt.

McCock was on the verge of ceasing all work except just for emergency repairs in the main dock to keep business open. There had been a steady stream of repairs to hulls and more recently repairs and maintenance of power plants were requested. The capabilities of the "Offspring" were noticed and the response was more work. There was also that problem now in the No1 airlock that McCock had, for the time, put firmly in the too hard memory bank. McCock made the contact and heard the female voice,

"Avers' Brook Farm, Sir, my name is Lane, can I help you?" McCock was a bit taken aback by the almost service like response,

"A Mr Hugh Avers wished to speak to me; McCock, GmBH"

"Hold please," a minute passed and a voice rumbled out the ear piece,

"Mr McCock, a friend of yours told me to see you about employment, Silas Rowan."

McCock quickly shook himself a bit more aware,

"Look you, I'm not up to conducting interviews now. Can I stand you lunch at "The Green Man" tomorrow?"

"Mr Rowan thought you might need some sleep. That's suits. Noon tomorrow "Green Man"", and the chuckling voice ceased. McCock looked at his com as if he expected it to give him answers. Polack nudged him to move,

"What was that about?"

"A Hugh Avers wants a job."

"Avers?" McCock missed the look of awe, surprise and shock that came over Polack's face; he wanted to get in some serious down time. Unbeknownst to him, Slow had headed Erin off until the next day.

"Yeah, he's coming over for lunch tomorrow for interview."

"Can I sit in?"

"You're part owner," shrugged McCock as he turned into his room and then collapsed onto the bed.

Polack cursed under his breath; removed McCock's shoes, then his own and collapsed himself.

The pounding on the door at mid forenoon brought Polack's eyes open to find himself staring into those of McCock's who asked slurrily,

"And what is my excuse that I find myself in bed with you?"

Polack saw the humour, and protested in a falsetto,

"But we are on top of the bed and we're fully clothed and nothing happened."

"You can explain that to Erin – that's her knock, I'd know it anywhere – if you want to. I'm heading for the fresher" and suited action to words.

Polack and McCock joined Erin in the lounge area, which became the dining room at meal times. They felt a member of the species after their ablutions. Just at the end of the forenoon watch, a middle aged solid grey haired man walked into the door way, looked and found them, walked across and rumbled,

"McCock?" McCock nodded and shook the proffered hand the size of a dinner plate; the voice continued,

"Hugh Avers, retired Chief Warrant, ERA, last "Napier", Milligan's flag".

"Erin Nancarrow, my girlfriend and Polack Kowalski one of the GmBH partners," introduced McCock.

"Marched off "Napier", two weeks ago; waiting to embark on the shuttle to the fast 'Pest ferry. Mr Rowan joins me and says he knows where there is a position which could use a retired Chief Warrant ERA. GmBH. New workers, family owned new yard, repairs and maintenance. Aim is to design and build racing space yachts. Could do with shuttle in shuttle out employees who had no curiosity and sealed mouths."

Beneath that rumble, 'and if I believe that I've got a lot of forged titles I've bought'.