Chapter 5

McCock was swiping his card for Room 3003, when he heard the lift door open and then light footsteps. He braced as a remembered voice said

"Ah! Making a good impression I see. Its first names – respectfully, please note – between officers at least. Paul.", all said with a pleasant smile.

"Uh. Well I was called "Aggy" at the Academy – I came from the R.M. Agricultural and Military College" in response to the interrogating eyebrow.

"Good engineering that lot" as he padded ahead of the ensign. "Good morning you lot" to his workers assembled round the coffee urn.

"You'd better not have emptied that urn" to the assembly from Rowan coming through the door.

"Here's your morning read" thrusting a handful of chips at the Commander.

"We did mention this yesterday but it probably got lost in the avalanche; each work morning, the section bumble bees gather together in the conference room, - 3001-, to discuss the breaking news; over breakfast coffee, grab a cup and follow me; don't worry about the taste it grows on you".

"Like tinea cruris". came from the background.

"Absolute hogwash" Rowan returned as he filled his cup decorated as it was with an eye patched pirate's head grinning evilly over crossed sledge hammers. Leaving the slender woman ("Shell" he later learnt) and Marty to cover the offices, the assembly trooped into the conference room with the Captain at the window end of the table with the Commander at the other.

"What's going to happen with Yarragh?" came from the Commander as he scanned the first document.

"Anyone?" Rowan asked.

McCock tentatively raised his hand. The ranking eyebrows ascended.

"During a long A&M break I was midshipman on one of our freighters which plied between Monticore and Yarragh. Had to present a class paper on the place. It's really too long to cover here unless we've got all morning."

Shake of CO's head,

"Can you get copies of that paper for us?"

"Yes, I've got one at home! ... Here in Settlement" he quickly added.

"OK; quick synopsis? From R & D point of view".

"Long time settled, diabolical environment, lethal if you are not careful, short life span even if you are, several nasty civil wars; basically an hereditary monarchy with only about ninety nobles with no lesser ranks, top notch mechanical, electrical, and nuclear engineering, deficient health research possibly restrained by a powerful church, with skewed birth gender ratio three females to each male which make male primogeniture difficult but leads to polygamy". The eyebrows were almost up in the hair lines.

"We'll wait that paper with interest. What's next?"

McCock tried to pay attention but the rest of the discussion was over his head, dealing with previous matters.

His Renmark paper did lead to a later prolonged morning group. This was the beginning of the push to make deeper contact. With his deeper commercial knowledge of the system, McCock's view was that Yarragh, with its great potential, would be a necessary ally against Harbouria. His opinion with supporting information was a definite factor in exploring formal contacts. (Unbeknownst to him, it enriched his future great grandmother in law. He was wrong about the clergy restricting research.)

After the meeting, a crowd returned to 3003 with McCock who gazed into the door retina scanner to enter the "Crypt".

'Silas's is the 'Dungeon', yours is the 'Crypt'' he remembered. The four occupants stood as he entered. He, sort of, perhaps recognized them again but that was all.

"'Aggy' McCock, Ensign" he offered.

"'Polack' Kowalski PO2 engineering".

"'Denny' Denholt PO2 EW".

"'Cowboy' Indira PO2 Weapons"

"'Slow' Gort PO2 TacNavComs" came from the sole female.

Any high school student would have recognized the type immediately – NERDS- all of them; even McCock, despite his erect posture as opposed to the undisciplined slouch of the others. But then he was a military school boarder hence the posture and failure to recognize the type.

"I know we are to explore automation in our ships to conserve manpower so lead me in on what you have been doing."

The others looked at Polack.