Chapter 34

'Them' comprised four solid figures all about average height. Each man wore a well used skin suit with almost unreadable name tags over the right mid chest and towed a locker on which was strapped an EVA hard suit equally well used. Cowboy cycled them through the No3 air lock two at a time. He then led the new employees through the office, the rec room to the quarters; here each of the new group moved to a cubicle as if he had been assigned to it. The suits were unstrapped from the lockers and attached to the frames on the bulkheads just inside each cover. The lockers were pushed in to the cubicles and the covers closed. The four doffed their skins suit helmets, allowing them to dangle on their cords, nodded to Cowboy and moved into the office.

"Hugh Avers," introducing himself to Slow and Denny shaking their hands. He pointed to his companions in order,

"George, Paul, Theo," Hugh then seated himself opposite McCock as the others shook hands all round and then sat. Hugh nodded at the folder and equipment on the table between them.

"Passes?" Slow nodded and Hugh continued,

"Have you entered any details on them yet?" to which she shook her head.

"Have you detailed the clearances on them?" to which Slow nodded. Hugh gave her an approving nod and pulled the folder to himself. On opening it, he found four access cards and chips. He picked up the scanner, inserted a chip into one slot, removed a Naval POR chip from his sleeve tab pocket, inserted that into the other slot, ran the access card until the stop in its slot, put the scanner to his eyes and identified himself as "Hugh Victor Avers". The green lit between the chip slots and he passed the scanner to McCock who looked bemused

"You'll need to authenticate, sir" Hugh said gently. McCock, startled, took the scanner and inserted his Captain's Card into its slot and entered his code on the keyboard. The green commenced flashing until the cards and chips were removed. Hugh recovered his service chip and pressed the green light. He gazed at the numerical code on the screen, nodded to himself, then removed his access card, gave the record chip to Slow and passed the scanner to George. George repeated the procedure; as he started, the other Avers moved to the urn retrieving bulbs from their voluminous pockets and proceeded to fill up. Hugh finished first, tapped George on the shoulder, and then passed George's bulb to one of the others to fill and return to George. Hugh moved to the control cabin where he was joined by Theo who hadn't used the scanner yet and then by George who'd finished. When all four had finished the paper work and inspected the cabin the four reseated themselves.

"We're not familiar with civilian vessels and we need familiarisation with the control cabins, the assembly attachments and ancillaries. We have no knowledge at all of civilian paper work. You will still have to do the paperwork. We have read the brief Mr Rowan sent with me. Can we pack our shuttle in No2 air lock?"

McCock looked from each well lived in face to the next and saw the glint of humour,

"Welcome aboard", and with his wry shy smile went on "and if you have any problems please feel free to teach any of us."

Finishing their coffee, they stood, repocketing their bulbs, and pushed off to the tag boards where they swiped their cards.

Hugh said,

"Paul, watch; George, Theo move the shuttle, Denny, check me out on No2." Denny nodded and they both pulled their helmets over their heads and went to the office air lock. After it cycled, Cowboy said to the others,

"I wonder what sign language they use?"

After securing the shuttle, the party moved back to the main dock where Denny briefed them on the work in progress. From time to time Paul was asked to operate the controls to demonstrate the features of the dock and its assembly.

"Polack, let's inspect that racer," said McCock.

Notifying Paul of their intent, they redonned their helmets, swiped their cards in the office hatch, they had logged in on entry to No3. They floated across to the small hatch in No1 air lock and passed through. The racer looked out of place secured as it was; it looked as if it should be floating freely across black space. Polack used his multi tool to lift the locking levers and unseat the power plant hatch and, knocking against a securing line, he manoeuvred the hatch off.