Chapter 24

Sally noticed McCock sitting with his head held back reading the Senate coverage on his PDA, with that instrument held in his outstretched hand.

"What's wrong with your eyes, Aggy?"

"Nothing" laughed McCock, "it's just that my arms don't seem to be long enough these days and I am a short fellow to start with, you know."

"Nonsense" snapped Sally and signalled over the waiter. "This gentleman has something wrong with his eyes. Where can I find someone to look at him?"

The waiter laughed,

"He's getting longsighted; probably just needs glasses to read. My brother in law is an optha, oftam, yes, one of those, I can never remember how to pronounce it. He is just up "The Mile" and he should be able to find the problem, if it's just that and if not might be able to organise an early consultation."

Sally got the details and with Nan on the other side of McCock marched him up the hill to the eye man. The knights smiled tolerantly at McCock as he was led off saying they were going to play tourist and would join them at the Royal Scotchman.

The shop was easily recognisable; the large spectacle frames hanging suspended over to pavement was a dead giveaway. Nan was intrigued by the "Established 2009" plaque swinging from the spectacle sign. So she asked

"Have you been in existence for eight centuries?"

"Not me personally," laughed the rotund women at the counter, "but the business has been here for that long; not in the same hands mind you. My family bought the business nearly ninety years ago and we expect we'll hand it over to our grandchildren in a century or so when we want to retire. Now, who needs help?"

"This one," said Sally, "he says his arms aren't long enough."

"A common enough story as you get older; come sit here and I'll have a look."

The lighted letters at the far end of the room were no problem but the small print of the pages to be read, were. A framework was swung in front of his eyes and a hand device was put into his hand with the instruction to push the button when he could clearly read the words. One eye was tested at a time and then binocular was tried. The hinged framework was swung away and a spectacle frame was offered and tested. A few changes later, the selected lens pattern was entered into a lens former which constructed the lenses. A plain wire frame had been selected and the lenses were fitted. Sally paid the account and McCock was asked for his card.

"Card?"

"Yes, I have to enter the details on your records; all 'regens' do."

At this point Nan joined into the conversation pointing out that they were strangers to not only the city but to the planet and would the lady be so kind to more fully explain.

"You are from off planet and you got off without having a card?"

Nan was becoming more puzzled,

"Would you please start an explanation from the beginning such as by explaining what a 'regen' is."

"If you dinna mind, I'll not be involved; but I'll pass you onto someone who not only can tell you the history but might be able to help"

She made a com link and spoke rapidly to the other end,

"Earliest, day after tomorrow midday, fine?" Sally accepted. McCock just looked at her and she glared back,

"No, you don't have a say in this."

The Cock and his hens returned to the Royal Scotchman and reviewed the coms from Chagos.

At the same time McCock and his staff had been arriving at New London, the Flock had berthed at Chagos in "Shriek". The arrival had been planned and Generic had notified the caretaker staff to be ready for them. The cover was that this had been a group travelling with McCock who had separated in n space to proceed independently to Chagos.

Slow commanded the party and she oranised a meeting with the care and maintenance crew as to the status of "Gigantic". The first thing they were informed was that the vessel had not been formally launched or named but the nickname seemed appropriate. The C&M crew had been working on the vessel with a view to working up and acceptance trials. External power was connected and all the systems were on line except for the weapon and EW equipment.

The yard offices contained the all the construction records, parts lists and operations' manuals. Each Flock member snapped up 'their' manuals and settled down for a 'good read'. They had brought e-rats with them so as not to impose on the resources of the C&M people. They napped during the night in that hemisphere and next dawn donned their skin suits for a guided tour of the vessel The control bridge had the standard equipment panels but all so ergonomically arranged that six watch officers could 'fight' the vessel by directing the 'puters except that the battle 'puter was wholly inadequate.

The C&M explained that the major powers on Sol restricted the sale of top level weapons and their control systems, and the dear departed dictator had not been on the approved lists of anyone who could make that equipment; second line gear was readily available but any nation found selling top level stuff had biting enforced sanctions applied across all trading and the purchaser usually found his equipment and the vessel it rode in scattered in small fragments across whatever place it was located. So DDD has the best and newest energy weapons and a hopeless battle 'puter and no missiles. Point defence and defence shields were top line but EW was "adequate?"; for what? was Denny's question. Denny was interested in the decoy system fitted and was informed that it was experimental work by Generic which had not been fully tested because of lack of funds. There was a roughly written manual.