Chapter 13

"What's with the crates?" Morg asked the Chief Storeman.

They stood watching a working party unloading the powered barge in "Naseby's" boat bay under the watchful eyes of what appeared to be the full complement of the 'Crushers' (Regulating P Os).

"Pusser's rum; probably worth its weight in platinum — certainly worth more than gold" was the reply.

"Rum? Pull the other one, Chief" Morg said "that's just an old salt's myth."

The Chief laughed,

"True as I stand here. The Bonder family has connections to the growers, makers, or whatever on Old Earth and the Old Man gets a regular annual shipment; the crew from time to time gets to splice the mainbrace with a tot. When he joined, the Old Man had us up in his cabin explaining the traditions and laying down the law about the stuff. It's the Bosun's job to hand it out, thank Deity; the stuff is like molasses and kicks like a mule. Boss says it originally came in hogsheads — wooden casks, now we use these tanks — better storage. That's the lot, here's your chitti. You'd better clear quickly, the Old Man is behind the rest of the squadron and he wants to catch up."

Morg boarded the barge, sealed it, got his clearance from the Boat Bay controller and hover taxied through the hatch force field; he had barely cleared and "Naseby" began to move. Morg was grateful the Officer of the Watch was considerate and didn't go to full power immediately and give the barge a gravity surge.

The barge made its way back to the cruising yacht and through the small boat bay hatchway. The bay hatch sealed behind him. Morg locked the barge to a rack, waved at the trussed up prisoners hanging on either side of the hatchway and passed through the air lock into the yacht's interior. His tell tales indicated atmosphere and gravity and he commed TJ for confirmation. He went up to the bridge, removing his helmet onto its leash. and found TJ and Ivy seated at the control panel.

"Engine room controls are remoted to the bridge" TJ reported "very considerate of them. I sped read the manuals and I can space her. I want to check the engine room out first and then we can head back. You read up on her while I'm gone." TJ pointed at a screen and departed for the engine room.

Morg sat and scrolled through the 'book'. He finished and then made a fuller exploration of the control panel and associated hardware. He found the exterior screens and booted them up. He found the Electronic Suite and identified the detection suite. He looked at the com panel and saw the blinking light on a com; he switched his suit's main com mute back to sound and heard the buzzing static of white noise. He flicked the blinking com to off, the white noise shut off and Morg grinned in satisfaction; he then set the frequencies of the yacht's other coms to those of Arrival Control and listened to the sparse transmissions of the traffic.

"Looks good down here," TJ reported "coming back up."

"I raided the pantry on the way back" TJ said a minute or so later, and tossed a ration pack at each of them.

Morg hadn't seen the type before,

"Where did this come from? Originally, I mean?"

"No idea; all its got on it are the instructions- must be a special order to cover tracks. You know I haven't found any trace of the origin of the yacht, sleds, weapons, raft, anything. There are not even manufacturers' plates on this equipment, Somebody put a lot of work into this. Can't find a log book either. Hmm, these rats are tasty, pity we can't put Andrew onto them. Now, on the way back, Higgins, I think"

Morg paused in the demolishing of his rations, thought about the ramifications, nodded agreement and returned his attention to the pack. TJ had meanwhile activated the thrusters to turn the yacht towards the harbour and then brought up main power.

"Use your PDA to raise your mother and get her to com Higgins — he might even be at home as it's end week — and get him to call you on your PDA. I'll get our clearances for the inner navy yards."

TJ noted the frequencies on the coms and consulted his handbook to obtain the recent navigational information frequency; he dialled it, listened, made a note on his pad, and reset the frequency,

"Pest Arrivals, this is cruising yacht "Tangerine", with information Nan, from the asteroid for the inner navy, request clearance."

""Tangerine" be advised you will require special clearance for the navy."

"Arrivals, being organised now."

""Tangerine", you are cleared direct to the outer marker from your present position. Call Harbour control on 4378 approaching the outer."

"Direct to outer, call Harbour 4378 approaching, "Tangerine"."

"Mam, it's a long story, just call Mrs Higgins and get the ... Mam, they'd never let a lowly spacer near him on a com, call personally ... it's a security matter this time. Thanks Ma. (broke the link, and turned to TJ) "Tangerine"?"

"I've always liked tangerine and I had to call her something innocuous" TJ laughed, turned his attention to his rat pack and established a routine scan of the panels' instruments; he noted Morg's eyes moving similarly until the PDA sounded and even then Morg's eyes scanned.

"Yacht "Tangerine", Morg Windsor, can I help you?"

"If I thought you had a sense of humour, Windsor, I'd ... ne'er mind " came Higgin's growling voice.

"Morning, Sir. Gunlayer 3rd Windsor, Sir. A Navy powered barge with supplies for "Naseby", crewed by Gunners Hobson, Sorenson and myself was attacked last night while parked at the asteroid. We overcame the attackers and captured their base, a two point four k tonne yacht, now called "Tangerine". Seventeen attackers killed, two captured, no friendly casualties; be advised the attackers killed five persons on two civilian yachts and blew them up. We are sailing "Tangerine" back. We have clearance to the outer and will need clearance to the inner navy yard. Sir."

"Windsor, remind me never to get you to tell me the story of "Beatrice and the Dragon". Dear, talk to Morg Windsor for a moment, please."

"Hello Morg" came the Lady's voice "you must tell me how you do that orange garnish I had the other day. It was delightful."

(You don't get to be the wife of a senior Admiral without learning when not to ask questions — well, most times; occasionally the system stuffs up.)

"That's a Chef's special, Ma'am and he wont tell me either. It's something quite simple because I've watched him make it but he is just too quick — I think he pre-prepares the ingredients so no one will discover the secret. I've managed to sneak a few others of his but not that orange garnish."

"You could make a fortune, a small one any way, selling it."

"The Chef says its one of the reasons he gets good positions so he's not going to..."

"Higgins here, your clearances are for the inner yard, berth seven; a follow-me will be there."

"Sir, inner seven, Sir."

"Higgins clear."

"Thanks Morg, got it, inner yard, seven berth and follow me. This thing doesn't have remote tie downs, so you'll have to do another EVA. We ... Morg, take over. I've had a brain twist. I should be back before the outer. Turnover in six point two."

And dashed off the bridge. Morg and Ivy exchanged glances and shrugged in unison. The yacht was five times faster than the barge so the trip from the asteroid to the outer was taking about an hour and a half. Morg called "Turnover", turned the yacht end for end and adjusted the power settings to the recommended according to the nav screen; he did a quick mental calculation as the values seemed a bit low and realised the nav 'puter was using the harbour as its reference and not the outer marker. He adjusted the settings and after resetting the nav 'puter smiled in satisfaction because he didn't have to further adjust the settings.

"Harbour control, "Tangerine", with clearances for the navy inner."

"Tangerine, cleared to proceed direct to navy yard. Cruise at four fifty across harbour. Have you the navy freq?"

"Have the freq. Cleared direct at four fifty. "Tangerine"".

Morg then returned the yacht and swung the bows to point at the navy yards or where the nav 'puter said they were as Morg could only see the orbitals in the screen at the standard magnifications — any higher and things got distorted quickly.

TJ ambled back looking quite pleased with himself but no one was biting.

"Navy, "Tangerine", for berth seven."

"Tangerine" decrease to twenty five and follow the pilot. Be advised an oh ninah plus party awaits."

"Twenty five and follow pilot, "Tangerine" (link broken). Cheerful little sod, isn't he?" said Morg looking at TJ who was working the thrusters.

""Tangerine" Pilot, I'll come alongside and my crewmen will board you to handle the lines."

"Kind of you. "Tangerine"".

The yacht berthed and air locks joined with the engines being shut down in quick mode. The trio moved rapidly to the air lock putting on their headpieces as they went. Morg saw a placard facing the inner lock but didn't get a chance to look at it as TJ opened the inner and motioned Morg to the outer. Morg checked the readouts on the outer hatch,

"Atmosphere outside."

"Open the outer hatch, Gunner."

Morg undogged the hatch and swung it outwards to see Admiral Higgins, which was no surprise, accompanied by DCS Oscar, which was, and a horde of uniforms and civvies behind them. Morg wondered what was preventing the party from galloping past him. He turned to see TJ filling the inner hatch nodding at the aft bulkhead with Ivy acting as side boy; Morg leaned his body over and on the after bulkhead was a cloth RMN ensign and the placard read

"HM Prize Yacht

TANGERINE"

Admiral Higgins glared at TJ, saluted the 'quarterdeck', faced and saluted TJ, growling,

"Permission to come aboard" broke the salute and continued " and you pair need name tags on those cumshaw suits, smart alec."

"Granted, Admiral. We'll get them asap. Just establishing the ground rules, Admiral. If you will follow me?"

"Not much choice" Higgins growled again, "what is this thing? I couldn't see any recognition as she came in."

"That is one of the problems, Sir" TJ sighed "I've been all over the bridge and can't find even a manufacturer's plate and a quick look around the engine room the same. No log and no record on the 'puters of any build history. It is set up as a high end pleasure yacht but no sign of owners or hirers. Here's the main cabin; it doesn't look at all used and the screens are just for show — they aren't even real."

The Admiral took the top seat, Morg, TJ and Ivy the bottom end with Bill Oscar next to Morg and with the rest of the seats occupied, there was still about five standing and a few outside peering in.

"What are you doing here, Sarnt?" Morg whispered. In a normal voice, Oscar replied,

"Piracy is still a crime against the Sovereign's Peace and Joe said you have two prisoners. Where are they?"

"Down in the boat bay. They are still in light armour."

"What if they get loose?" Oscar queried. TJ snorted and Morg explained, with a laugh,

"Not out of those knots and besides their suit oxygen supply is disabled and they are on a short leash to the ship's supply — a refill hose actually about half a metre long. Oh, sorry, no atmosphere in the bay."

"I'd like to question them. Admiral?" Higgins waved his permission but Oscar continued "I'd better hear the story first."

"Gunner Hobson" ordered the Admiral, and TJ recounted the facts of the night.

"You should have called for assistance" one of the suits suggested.

"No need, we had the situation under control," TJ rejoined and Morg nodded "and besides we still had "Naseby's" supplies."

That brought smiles to the uniforms' faces.

"C'mon Morg, let's get those two."

Morg led Sarnt Oscar, followed by two solidly built men whose appearance screamed "heavies". Morg replaced his helmet and advised the three bobbies,