Chapter 12

"Giant" recovered "Shriek" to her Boat Bay from R1 and flew U91, U92 and U 93 onto her davits. She slowly passed "Grendel" and "Gorgon" where U91 was flown by "Grendel's" crew into her Boat Bay and similarly U92 into "Gorgon" The opportunity had been taken to gain experience in close handling of these small craft by the ships' crews.

The U90 series had an upgraded power plant with a small satellite craft attached which could be held by a tractor from the mother craft; the SC 90s were fitted with Period detection equipment and coms equipment. McCock had originally envisaged them for use between hyper and n space. The U90 was the second project along with the Gnat. GmBH had started on both projects shortly after the departure of 119(Reinforced) to become "The Queen's Own".

(Angie Merton, as CFO to Hugh Avers CEO, had acquired the additional manufacturing facilities. GmBH had become a serious R & D player using the holds of "Trader" with the docks still performing small working vessel repairs as a very convenient cover. The Avers, with their tribal knowledge, had christened the "Traders's" holds, "The Skunkwerks".)

The U90s had been further modified in R1's holds by the addition of the Navigational Omnidirectional Beacon externally. There wasn't space internally with the larger fission pile and its insulation. To make the NOB, Slow and Denny had modified the active detection equipment to TX a hemispherical signal identifying the transmitter and time date allowing the receiving vessel to calculate its distance from the sending station. That is, they could, when the Royal Astronomer calculated the signal velocity of n and hyper space "FTL" signals through hard space now called Cosmic Space. (He would need more observational information before he could begin.) The equipment also sent a rotating signal, RX, which transmitted the sending transmitter identification and the bearing of the signal off the programmed reference line, U93Mountserrat — U92Renmark, in degree increments taking a minute per rotation. Further investigations would be required to establish the reference line to New Breslau.

The Avers Techs in R1 were working on a few more sets to cover the U90s on hand and the design had been sent to GmBH for Patent. The modifications made the U90s a powerful navcom tool.

U91 and U92 had also each been specifically pre-programmed to fly through the boundary layer 'above' their respective planet. The crews were allowed to believe that this secret project was to put the UVAs into hyperspace where the FTL network was to be established

"Giant" positioned herself under U41 and "Shriek" was released.

""Giant", "Shriek", free and clear. That is a very tight fit; we wouldn't want to do that under pressure, over."

""Giant", ah, Algy, we were designed for the later model armed cutters which are a bit smaller. You'd fit easily in "Vector". Call when ready for translation. Meanwhile U93 is going up. Clear."

Felix had his EW pilot release U93 and fly it up through the layer to within touching distance of U41 in spatial terms. The pilot let out a relieved sigh when U93 hove to; Felix restrained himself from making a comment. Captain Denholt was on "Infamous's" bridge and he powered up and brought on line U93's equipment. Renmark's signals came through clearly. "Giant's" second pilot took over U41 and with a huge grin at his colleague, brought up Period and moved off towards Renmark. U93's Period was on line and acquired U41. U41 was then sent on a circular track about U93. "Infamous's" 'puter was recording this directly. After a complete orbit, NOB was brought on line and the exercise repeated using NOB. It gave the anticipated results and the more limited capabilities of U41 showed consistent results.

Meanwhile Algy and his minions in "Shriek" were working through the checklists for translation. The crew pulled up their skinsuit hoods, checked the seals and the coms. Algy called "ready" before the NOB test was completed. They moved a hundred klicks 'north' of U93, hove to and waited while U41 was 'parked to the west' of U93. Felix commed Denny to alert the Captain that "Shriek" was about to translate.

""Giant", "Shriek", your are cleared to translate. Runway zero zero, winds are negligible and QNH is one zero one three decimal two. Have a good day. Over."

""Shriek", boss you have been watching those historical romances again. Translating. Clear." Algy switched to the crew com and ordered his Tacnav 'to beam us up, Scotty' which earned him several disgusted sounds.

"Aye, Sir. Translating."

The Tacnav wriggled her shoulders in the restraints and moved her control to horizontally enter the layer. The screens showed "Giant" disappearing and the vibration started. The nausea was not as gut wrenching and the vibration levels were less than the vertical entry. Passage time was slower on a scientific assessment for the same power settings, but in human terms there wasn't much in it, time wise that is. Comfort wise there was no comparison; as Guns said

"I don't think I'd have a meal beforehand but I want that one every time."

With U93 and U41 for near references, "Shriek" performed eight hours of planned manoeuvres. They also tested efficacy of hole in space shields; these performed as for heavier space except there was no hole detectable.

While "Shriek" sortied, U93 lowered SC93 through the layer without incident. SC93's Period was activated and "Giant" acquired by U93 and at that stage "Shriek" signalled the receipt of this information to "Infamous". "Shriek" indicated that her Period also had "Giant" directly and one of the planned manoeuvres was to move away from U93 which was directly above "Giant" until the direct contact was lost. This would establish a critical angle and to confirm that SC93 was indeed acquiring "Giant" who then under took a series of manoeuvres to further test the system.

"Shriek" returned to hyper and recovered to "Giant's" Boat Bay. "Giant" moved down the bands, entered n space and returned "Shriek" to R1 for maintenance and inspection. Algy and his crew were to have a stand down next morning and to meet with the mathematician at four afternoon watch.