Chapter 67

"Andrew, Aggy. I want to run some RMN personnel through the 'Chens' to keep their skills up to at least 'Reserve' status. The 'Chens' basicly have only a permanent cadre recruited from the Mounty Avers with a core of 119 trained officers as stiffener. Suit?"

"I'll have to have a word with higher, Aggy, but I doubt we'll say "no". What were you thinking of taking?"

"Personnel for a raiding force, top heavy with gold braid. Admiral Cunningham and staff in the BC with Crypian McDermid as flag and the crew from "Illustrious", 81 BC in its entirety for the four pocket battleships and two DD crews. I've got three DDs but there is less space to spare in them. There is an LRC for support and if you want it, I could throw in a HLRV but I haven't got any crew in her to guide you. The four "Vulcans" have been exercising with the Chens and it might be an idea to spread Cunningham's staff into them. My shuttles can do the transport and the Riders can go in support. All the ships are fusion powered so logistics is simple."

"Aggy, if I don't get Harold's permission, I'll have to cadge a bed off you for the next year or so. How long were you thinking of for a group."

"Minimum of two perhaps three weeks; nowhere near enough but you have a lot of spacers dirtside; unless Virginia wants to run longer."

"Suits, Aggy, on my authority, start the scheme."

"Thank you Andrew. McCock clear.

You all heard that?

Denny, you'll have to spread the DD crews out thinner. I suspect that gold braid will come out of the woods like deer chased by wolves so officer country is going to be crowded — poor things.

Polack, get some crews together and recover a HLRV and Henry, go with him to examine any information on a victuals carrier. From what we saw on the ships we got, their victualling is of high standard. If I can help it, I'd prefer that planetary resources not be used for the fleet

Slow, if our friends desire, would you be 'opfor'? Thank you.

81 and 3 BC are conversant with Holeinspace and Period so that is not a problem. Denny, how far along are you with Younger's scheme?"

"Done Aggy. McDermid, at least and his bright boys were full bottle on it before the Destruction and I don't think they will have forgotten. I suggest we leave Younger on the BC as adviser."

"Suits. What are you doing with the Dungeon Dwellers?"

"They are on the VWs bringing their 'puters up to date."

"Will Younger's scheme work in them?"

"Not sure but we won't know until we try."

"Get to it, people" McCock closed the meeting.

The organising of the RMN dirtside took some time to get organised much to the frustration of the flag officers but there was one who used the delay to advantage.

"Captain Cochrane? Last I saw of you, you were Rear Admiral in plans" McCock greeted his old commander as they sauntered back from "Vector's" hangar deck. McCock had met him there when Algy sent him a heads up that the Barge had a hitchhiker on board.

"Crypian mentioned you had a couple of DDs to play with and I took a peek at the rosters. Seeing no provision had been made for a Captain D, I hitched a ride on your Barge and just before I departed I sent a com fax to Blue Hills volunteering for the post. Pity he can't recall me. Knowing your lot, Aggy, there will be the odd chip or two lying about on the capabilities so I thought I'd steal a march."

"You know Bollinger? Good. He is CICO for "Vector" and my intel officer. He copied the 'puters of all the Chens. Come along and I'll hand you over to him."

McCock did just that and left the two of them intently studying screen full of DD information and examining the DD holo projected over the Gnat Defence desks.

The RMN training was just getting underway as the "Sprightly" frigate departed for cosmic. Harryfor Avers headed her for the U90 shadowing the armada. They made good speed with "Sprightly" going to full reverse thrust and still over running the UVA to Harryfor's chagrin.

"Don't fesh yourself, laddy" McCock assuaged him "nobody has got enough experience out here to get manoeuvring just so. Besides, its all to the good as we need to heave to over Sema; so just swing about in an arc and it will look like a planned evolution."

"Yeah? With that lot taking it all in?" Harryfor complained, nodding at his grinning bridge watch. In the event, Harryfor did make a neat evolution of it, heaving to over Sema's north pole. A UVA was deployed beneath the layer and signals from it were integrated with those from the shadowing UVA. Information about the fuel facility was entered into "Sprightly's" 'puter and ten cruise missiles were warmed up and programmed. They stood on the bridge together watching the holo of the approaching armada It was shaking down into the bombardment formation with the difference that the CLs were being massed in the van.

"Take "Sprightly" down to n space, smartly now." McCock ordered.

"Sprightly" transitioned through the layer, deployed holeinspace shields, spread sails to drop through hyper, retrieved the UVA enroute and then translated into n space just as the CLs accelerated away from the armada.

"Destroy the fuel terminal, Captain Avers."

"Commodore. Guns, missiles to the target stat."

"Aye aye Captain." And pressed the firing toggle. A slight tremble was felt as the missile leapt away.

"Sprightly" held position until the missiles had impacted. The watchers saw the terminal disappear into fragments and the ephemeral trail of the nuclear stream reversing itself back to its star.

"Time to go, Harryfor."

Harryfor's watch had been forewarned and quickly translated up into hyper as the CLs came out of it. "Sprightly" sailed away from the approaching armada to reach the layer and just as efficiently transitioned into cosmic space, reversing heading once through and retracing its track to Mountserrat.