Chapter 42

Wayne Burton-Avers was a big man with hands the size of shovels. Despite his conservative business attire he looked out of place in an office; he looked as if he should be out on the yard holding metal plates in position for seaming. The Flock were not surprised when they later learned that Wayne was a foundation member of the Steam Engine Club with a special interest in hand riveting.

"He probably just squeezes with one hand." Denny opined.

As Wayne lived dirtside locally, he continued to commute daily to his new office. He was officially seconded but that information was held tight with only the Navy Yard Commanding Officer in the loop. His colleagues were just told that he was going to work for GmBH allowing them to believe the fields were greener over on that side of the channel. He was, by arrangement, let go on two weeks' notice.

In keeping with his size he was deliberate with his approach to his work. There were long and intense discussions involving detailed questioning by Wayne. After one discussion period Cowboy made unfavourable comparisons with having to discuss a presentation with Head of Department at the Naval Technical School. Wayne quickly grasped all the reins and developed the Flock's knowledge base considerably. He introduced them to 'puter techniques in design which enabled him to assess, modify and incorporate into the much more complicated drawings required of a hypercabable vessel.

He had replied to one of McCock's appreciative comments that the Flock would have, in fullness of time, made the final drawings. Denny answered for the Flock,

"When? Next century?"

Toward the latter end of the planning, the vexed question of manning had again arisen and McCock presented his solution.

"We'll make an absolute minimum of six; that calls for a crew of twelve needing six bunks for watch on and watch off, hot bunking, bringing crew up to CO plus twelve. Captain's cubby with personal fresher and office on port side forward of enviro with bunks for the crew starboard side. Higher can work out officer NCO breakdown and variations in accommodation."

The lesson from "Forceful" having her secondary capacities so down-graded was of great concern to both McCock and Cowboy; the latter probably because the whole purpose of a warship was to have weapons and everything was secondary to that end. The Flock had learned better manners over the past years and no longer raised disparaging taunts about the others' special interests; they had soon appreciated the interlocking of everything in a design and the comparative values of the compromises.

Cowboy had developed his idea in the HAC where he had had space behind his nest. The others appreciated having stand off weapons. Advance word had been received from Rowan that questions had been raised at Wep Dep about the effectiveness of counter missiles in anti shipping role particularly if the other ship was a warship. Preliminary work had been started on development. Cowboy sourly commented to the Flock about 'dreams' and submitted his proposal to mount CL missiles which were now available. No one quibbled on the choice but the discussion was joined as to total load, salvo size, magazine location etc. Because the overall size of the HCL precluded broadside firing, a chaser weapon spread was accepted with dedicated magazines. Four tubes forward, spread under the muzzle of the graser with four missile magazines for each tube angled to either side of the graser mount; it had been considered jettisoning the idea of the tubes, but at this level of development they were mainly used for pre-programming the missile. (The flock considered com programming to be to novel and untried at this stage.) The bow wall generator would be mounted on the other side of the graser giving the bow from front view a rounded triangular shape. Aft tubes were mounted above the tender bay with the magazines forward and spread on either side of the bay's access tunnel.