Chapter 39

The next morning McCock bit the bullet and commed Erin at "The Residence".

"Erin. Good Morning. When are you intending to return to Gorgipest?"

"Probably tomorrow. Shelly wants to complete her yacht training and then space down in the yacht. We are using the Barge and Trudie, Nan and I will crew her under supervision of Alan and his people. Shelly will christen "Vector" for us and then return here; she doesn't want to leave her work. She feels happier at WepDev. Now, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Well, I was talking with Sally a couple of days ago and realized my parents don't know about the boys; they have been at me for decades about grandchildren and I was wondering... ?"

At this stage the gurglings he had heard broke out into outright laughter. When she settled down, Erin brought him up to date,

"I heard about that so called talk. You can be slow at times, Aggy. Sally got straight onto it and commed Nan and I. I admit I almost squibbed it but Sally and Trudie spoke rather harshly to me, I thought, and I accompanied Nan to meet them. They were absolutely charming and put us at our ease. They were absolutely fascinated by your seraglio; well, your mother was, your father seemed rather bemused. Your mother appears to believe your name is "stupid boy". However, they both drooled over the vids of the boys. So, their having grandchildren is solved.

All of us are coming down. Your parents have a Manor House there. It was part of Bollard Lines but was hived off just after you were born; in fact, you spent your first few years there before the pressure of managing Bollard got too much to do at arm's length; that was before Marcel became more fully involved. The House has been on care and maintenance. So accommodation is solved.

The property abuts the south boundary of MUGC and the boys can attend the university school. Your grandparents or whoever conditionally granted MUGC their land and one of the conditions was to provide education for the family. You upset the scheme of things by insisting on A & M. So education of the boys is solved.

The company had a full security system in place because of the government in exile thing and that has been maintained. So security is as solved as that is possible to be.

Anything else you want us to do?" asked Erin sweetly "While we are at solving your domestic problems for you."

(The Settlement party did not get down for another three days because of some last minute financial dealings going down.)

McCock checked that Sally was up to date and was not surprised to find her on her com discussing events with Nan; he considered she was, so he just waved at her in passing on his way to GmBH's office and control cabin through the now permanently open No 4 hatch. He found Hugh at the desk and George and Paul in the cabin.

"Where's Theo?" McCock asked Hugh who put down his PDA to reply

"In the dock; we do still work this place, you know. Galbraiths have a barge in for repairs; funny, that's how this all started, wasn't it?"

"Just about; what are you up to?"

"The frigate is loading cruise missiles and running that 'kiddy 'puter'; the MCs are being loaded with Mark Ds, and we'll have another almost full load remaining; R2 is over Old Earth heavy lift loading those "dam wartz" power packs for the MCs; we will have the first two operational in four day's time and the other packs replaced in eight. I'm not starting the replacements until the placements are operational, I had a word with Henry who was not pleased about only one hundred nests even if they were 'cruises'. Just about everything done so I'm working on workforce for the earth yards and provided you don't want the workers to emigrate, I can man the Chagos and get the Pacristmas working sort off and when the frigate commissions I'm her First Lieutenant."

McCock had only been half listening until the last pulled his mind back hard. He turned to look at his old friend and they exchanged totally po-faced stares. Not a word was exchanged and the silence from the control cabin where George and Paul stood in the entrance was deafening.

"Angie approve?" McCock finally broke the silence.

"No." came the equally informative reply.

"Your problem" and turned to walk back to "Trader".

"Yes" Hugh terminated the conversation.

"Aggy," commed Sir Joshua, "GEC's man wants to know when their care and maintenance are going to be replaced; he was concerned rather than irritated but it has been some months since the takeover."

"Hugh is working on that now. R2 is down there loading those power packs."

"Perhaps they could drop some crew off?"

"Rather not, Joshua. They are ships' crew not dockyard."

"Well, we can start the Chagos yard anytime you want; I've got indications of two definite orders for small freighters from outer worlds who are way down on the order books of the Sol yards — money up front in trust held by us at GMBH as soon as you accept the order but to play fair, we must have staff there to accept materials."

"Suits Joshua, I'll walk over and see Hugh now."

McCock retraced his steps towards GmBH to see Hugh in the dining hall with the others. McCock got a meal and joined them as other Avers, "Trader" residents all, filtered in around them. McCock mentioned manning Chagos and after the meal, the ways and means were thrashed out. A lot of Avers had been ruminating about the matter and casual discussions had been numerous. There appeared to have been a meeting of the minds.