Chapter 18

McCock was led to the PGS office. As he entered to sit at the desk, he said to Slow,

"Stop being so bloody childish, Slow. Behave yourself. Paper, please Major."

Colonel Mulcahy got off Slow's torso, but Sergeant Whittle wasn't so trusting,

"You will do as the Commodore orders, Captain?" To which he received a muttered "Yes" in reply.

Whilst McCock was writing, Slow got off the floor and was straightening her uniform. McCock finished the short note, folded it, and handed the note and his forage cap to the Major. As McCock was standing up from the desk, Slow snatched the letter from the Major's hand sending the cap flying. Slow hissed,

"Back; stay right back!" at the Major and when that good man had steadied, unfolded and read the note. She went po-faced as she looked at McCock for a long few moments before passing the note to Denny and Polack. She nodded to her often disparaged cap on the floor,

"I won't be needing that."

Denny said quietly, holding out his hand for the stylus,

"I believe I'm next senior?" and wrote his signature beneath McCock's.

"I'm next" from Slow as Denny handed his cap to the Major. Polack looked carefully at each of his friends, seeing no emotion on any face, and added his signature to the list and handed the note with his cap to the Major. With a look of terrible anguish distorting his features, the Major demanded,

"Why?" and facing Slow directly, "Why, Slow?"

Slow looked reflectively at him,

"You have never really understood us. We were nerds. Still are. We don't want reward; we don't seek recognition; we don't look for respect; but when we give our loyalty we need trust."

Sally had been telling her daughter,

"Warn Nan and advise the others. I'll contact as soon as I know." She turned to the Major and picked her beret off the floor giving it to the Major "I'm the 'plus one' of the Flock"

McCock requested.

"We will need transport out of the Palace to Bollard House, Major."

Colonel Mulcahy nodded his approval, and the Major spoke quietly into his lapel mic. McCock led his party out and they shook into formation with Sally in the trail.

Admirals Cunninghan and Rowan were standing in the entrance vestibule as the shuttle came to a halt outside; their attention was drawn to the sound of muted marching feet.as McCock's party came into view and marched past them with McCock nodding at Virginia

"Admiral" and nodding at Rowan, "Silas." Virginia Cunningham wondered at the formation as Kowalski, Gort, Denholt, McGraw and then McCock entered the shuttle. Its departure was accompanied with a muttered "Oh. Shit!" from Rowan. The frown from Virginia was answered by a quick shake of the head. As she hurried along the corridor to the PGS office, the memory clicked, they had moved in the 'missing man' formation with Cdr McGraw trailing.

She entered the PGS office where the occupants stood for her. She returned the salute, then echoed Rowans's thoughts as she took in the small stack of grey forage caps and the RMN beret. No one objected as she read the note.

Elizabeth III

Queen of the Kingdom of Mountserrat.

Madam,

No longer holding Your especial Trust and Confidence in my Loyalty, Courage and Good Conduct, I herewith withdraw my services.

Date Time Sgd H.M.S. MCock

Sgd E.B. Denholt

Sgd L.A. Gort

Sgd G.A. Kowalski

"People of few words, aren't they. Damn that woman. Why can't she keep that temper under control?"

No one had the answer to that rhetorical question; or objected to the expletive.

Some two hours later, Edward found them sitting, clutching coffee mugs, surrounded by an air of gloom.

"Her Majesty requests the presence of her Commodore." Edward straightened and looking directly at his Colonel, went on, "I admit to gross cowardice."

"I just wish I had the courage to desert," almost snarled Major Logan, "you carry the headgear. You aren't going to escape that lightly."

They marched to the door of the Office. Edward gave the caps to Rowan to hold to that person's horror, used both hands to open the doors, announce "Major Rupert Logan", retrieved the caps and marched into the Office behind his superior. Major Logan saluted the Queen and passed the note to her as Edward placed the headgear on the desk. The Queen read the note and passed it to her First Lord, saying

"That resolves our dilemma." to which the First Lord snorted, and then asked

"Where are they?"

"They left two hours ago for Bollard House."

The wheels could almost be seen turning as Sir Laurence asked of the Major

"Sally's?" and in response to his nod, "Mine, I think." Diana Halliday meantime was working the com set and holding a muttered conversation, finished it and replaced the com;

""Shriek" cleared the hyper three minutes ago. She was met by a shuttle beyond the outer marker to recover some 'adrift crew'; at least that was the information tendered by Felix Arburthson who was aboard her. That makes the full Flock."

""Shriek" is part of my Navy" protested Elizabeth.

"No, actually she has never been taken on strength anywhere" the First Space Lord informed them, "and to be quite accurate, nor have either of the Riders; they are leased in from GDF and thinking on it, those new missile carriers have not been brought in either."

"I have been paying for them, haven't I?" was the worried Royal Question.

"Actually, no!" returned the Second Space Lord sounding angrier as he went on, "Those arse warming time servers you've got in Treasury have been playing ducks and drakes and kept fobbing GmBH off despite all I can do; I only just prevented those REMFs from passing the pay accounts for the recent RMN drafts to GmBH to pay. If this ever gets out, you wont have any spacers left. I've been passing memos up to you for the past months and you've not bothered to give me the courtesy of an acknowledgement let alone a reply and don't try to tell me you've been too bloody busy. I won't wear it and if you want my resignation you can have it" and with that he stalked out with Cdr McGraw's beret clutched in his hand.