Chapter 27

"TJ, what did you find?"

TJ and Morg sat in Clare Gillard's office. They were in their black armoured hard suits but helmets were on the deck beside them. TJ's armour showed a dull mark across the left chest area and across the left biceps.

When the ships had surrendered, TJ and Morg had suited up, collected sidearms from the armoury and used "Bulb" to move to the merchantman. They had reconnoitred and then moved across to the warship and after a considerable time returned to "Tulip".

"The merchie, for want of a better description, is basically an empty hull with several decks; accommodation for six amidships and an engine room just aft of amidships. Engine is shut down, all the way down, not even stand by power; and it is a way out design I've never heard of — "Adama Wartsilo Seltzer" — Orville thinks he has heard of them and he is looking them up on the 'net. Crew — one dead, beam to the chest, he was in a skinny on the bridge and the 'puter screen showed he'd activated the code seventeen but someone had shut it down; four dead from explosive decompression in various parts of the ship — two were in their bunks but the emergency covers didn't activate. Someone had shut down all power after overriding the blocks to the airlock and opened both hatches. That someone is the missing crewman but he is not aboard the merchie.

We went across to the warship, entering via the boat bay. We had to convince a group of that crew they had surrendered..."

"How convincing did you have to get?" Gillard interrupted.

"Lethally nine, and four will die of wounds. EVA suits are not armour against high power beam and they only had six hard suits anyway. About one fifty crew and they are hanging in the boat bay without gravity or atmosphere..."

Gillard's head leant to one side in perplexity.

"It's a trick we learnt a long time ago. Weld a captive's wrist to the outer bulkhead in the boat bay, disable the skin suit oxygen back up — how? Simple, rip it off and throw it away. Then hook them up on short leashes to temporary oxygen lines so that even if they get free of the welds they cant reach either air lock and they cant join the leashes as both ends are male fittings.

We can't start the merchie unless Orville can come up with something. So I'd recommend we lash her to "Tulip" between the sail generators, use the thrusters to get up into hyper as we can't use the nodes with her in piggyback. The alternative is to try to destroy her and we have neither guns nor explosive to do that. That warship's gun mounts are projectile, would you believe, and that is probably how they got her in hyper; beams don't work all that well in hyper."

"This whole thing seems to have been well organised" Morg interposed "They knew the target would be at a certain place at a certain time in hyper; they had a mole in the merchie's crew. But why? We couldn't find any cargo in her at a quick glance unless she has a secure room somewhere stuffed with loot. Beats me."

"Suits. TJ, I'll go with your idea and if it works, fine, if not, we think again. You pair do the EVA work and then move over to the warship. We'll let Gorgipest police sort it out and as soon as possible we'll get on for Settlement."

...

The idea succeeded.

Some crew had to be used on the warship to feed and water the captives. Without atmosphere or gravity, there was no noxious environment. Well, not until the 'heavies' came to retrieve the captives, then atmosphere and gravity had to be returned and a fire hose on the dock was used to wash them down.

Sarn't Oscar was ambivalent — heaps of pirates to deal with but a Hades increase in admin. He used the FTL to seek identification and six of them were found to have 'form'. The mole in the merchie's crew identified himself in a deal to escape the gallows causing Bill Oscar to laugh evilly,

"He'll wish he did the hempen jig because we'll put him into total isolation up on the large asteroid. We feed and water them and that's all. None of them get off alive and all of them go bonkers after fifty, sixty years. They somehow have the idea, they get out in twenty five years but they don't realise that piracy is a Sovereign crime and not a state crime."

Naval Intelligence, Shore Patrol and Constabulary gathered the evidence and affidavits of "Tulip's" crew and after five days, "Tulip" was away to Settlement.

...

Clare Gillard's orders to the Academy for her "Crusher" were waiting for her. That course had started the same day as "Tulip's" arrival and so her departure was frantic. She did complete her last duty as escort to the Messenger and then she departed without learning who was her replacement.

TJ and Morg finalised the files and reports and dispatched them to the appropriate authorities about the base.

Second day, TJ was ordered to Second Space Lord's domain. He left Cedric as the Officer of the Watch, intending afterwards, with Morg, to visit his mother. Morg stayed in "Bulb" while TJ reported in. He was shown to an office behind the desk of which was a rotund, almost morbidly obese man who looked as if he had been sucking on sour lemons for this visit. His voice was an irritating rasp

"Hobson, I cannot dismiss you the service out of hand as much as I would like to and my desire is to get you and your kind out of our country let alone the Navy as soon as possible. You are an abomination which must be cleansed from this planet.

My hands are tied for a very short time but then I shall have my way.

Prior to my taking this office, the Heralds obtained your ship for a special task which not only do they refuse to discuss with me but refuse to accept any other ship. I have been told that the voyage is to New Liege and return and I have made the orders accordingly. You will command "Tulip" at the behest of the Heralds. You will complete their task expeditiously to return to Settlement and at that point, "Tulip" will pay off and the remaining crew are discharged; the officers unfortunately go onto the reserve but, mind you, you and your friends will never be recalled.

We have got rid of Cunningham and she has run with her tail between her legs to Renmark. Strathlawn is gone and we are working on the others.

Your orders (and threw the documents on the desk in front of him). You may leave!"

A very bemused TJ joined Morg in the flivver. He commed the Heralds' Office to be told an appointment for him to see the Principal King at arms was for ten hours next day.

TJ appraised his friend of the events and it was a very quiet drive to the Hobson Residence. There they found TJ's father in company with Percy Gantry.

"Would somebody explain just what is happening in the Admiralty. I just got sacked by a most obnoxious turd and I was too shocked to rearrange his face despite the four rings; and the crew of "Tulip" is also sacked after we get back from New Liege. And what are we doing spacing to New Liege? We've been in a shooting war with them for the past year or so in case no one has noticed. The place has gone mad. Thanks, Morg"

taking the proffered brew and joining the others seated about the coffee table.

"Its not the Admiralty" faltered his father "well not really — it's the Lords. Brown Hollow and his mongrel assortment of multihued idiots hold the country to ransom. I think they are prepared to destroy the place if they can't rule it. The government wants to mobilise and they can't do that under the Constitution without a declaration of war. The Government needs a seventy five percent vote in favour under the Constitution and they don't have it. Meanwhile Brown Hollow has been threatening a Constitutional challenge to recent Government moves and that particular group of idiots over there would on past performance approve the challenge. Without mobilisation, we definitely lose the war and Brown Hollow must know that. But for purely political gain for himself, he made a deal with the Prime Minister and in consequence has humiliated the Queen which has probably been his aim all along.

The alternative would be to disregard the constitution but the Queen wont have that.

Brown Hollow has been allowed to have his animals placed in key positions in the Ministries and the results are severe but not quite devastating, yet.

The Heralds have been waiting for weeks for the deal to be made so they can deliver the declaration and as soon as that happens the Government regains control.

Diplomatically, politically, it is a madhouse with everyone pretending nothing is amiss.

So, if we just wait a while, things will be back to where they were."

"Never happen!" Morg almost snapped; "TJ?"

TJ nodded agreement to his friend.

"Your replacements are already in command and the Navy moves on. It will take about two years from now to get rid of Brown Hollow's followers from the ministries. Not the same in the Navy. The Admiralty will make sure acceptable people have replaced you and the others and while you are sitting on the beach, the replacements will be continuing gaining hands on experience while you will be losing your skills. We are on the beach as far as RMN is concerned and will never command again. Staff jobs, yes, even in the fleet, but never command; we will be too far behind those moving past us. Unless you can get continuing Naval experience, you are finished."

"Surely not, Morg" exclaimed Berryl who had come in at the last of Morg's outburst, "TJ?"

"He's right, Mam. Look you, it will take us the best part of four months to complete the round trip to Harbouria and I am presuming "Tulip" will be carrying the Herald and the declaration. The replacement commanders will be bedded down and integrated. No. We are finished as career Naval officers — at least in RMN. If you'll excuse me, I have to send some messages."

After the evening meal, TJ and Morg had returned to "Tulip".

...

The Strathlawns and Percy Gantry were discussing relocating to Sol to join the 'infant' United Solarian Navy which was hoped to become the teeth of the Senate. The present force was in grave need of new blood because so much of the existing force was only in it for the power and graft they could acquire.

One investigative vid reporter described the current USN as nothing more than a plague of locusts with more Admirals than the USN had ships and most of the officers had never served in a ship let alone in space; he had also reported that presently there were two officers for each spacer on the lower deck.

This report had led the main financiers of the Senate to correct the situation before their own constituencies turned upon them. The Committee formed to remedy the situation comprised the Noramcon Chief Naval Officer, Enklan's First Space Lord and Russiberia's Grand Admiral and it had moved quickly and brutally in Sol Home Space where its reach was deadliest. Only events would prove if its reach would extend effectively to the frontiers.

Thomas J. Strathlawn and Percy Gantry did relocate, were welcomed into the USN in their previous ranks and began the work of retraining their squadron.

...

TJ and Morg were met by a worried Cedric and 'Nita.

As soon as "Tulip" had berthed, Dulcie Watts and Cissie Simpson had disembarked on shore leave. Shortly after that, Clare Gillard had departed for Warminster.

No sooner had TJ and Morg departed for the Second Space Lord's, Dulcie Watts and Cissie Simpson had returned accompanied by Naval Criminal Investigators who were guided around the ship taking stills and vids of "everything"; the two women had then packed up completely and departed in company with the CID.

So TJ's news, distasteful as it was, was not a total shock. Cedric handed TJ a sealed envelop

"The CID wallah says this is the order to remove all unauthorised equipment forthwith; sorry TJ."

"Not your fault, Cedric. Gather the crew in the mess, will you, please?"

"Suits, listen in people..."

and TJ brought them up to date with events

" ... so we'll have to lose all the cooking and sewing gear including the fabrics. I think pack it up and ship it to SHOW in Gorgipest."

"Not the cooking gear, TJ" objected Morg, "I can pack that up into the original containers and the galley can be dismantled in a day and a half. We could do that returning from the junction to here. I'll accept bad food for that long but not for four months."

"Everyone? Suits. We are shorthanded again with Jones, Porter and Gort going to "Haslar" but they seem not to be caught up in the dog fight and with the, aahh, defections of Watts and Simpson we are even shorter so I'm going to keep the seats. We'll do a lot of 'broidery to fill in the time. You can shove that in your gunny sacks when we leave. Dorothy, will you go acting Bosun? Your promotion is only local so you wont get paid for it."

"Suit, TJ" Dorothy agreed "but it's what happens after the trip that concerns me. I know we have some time to think about it but do you have any ideas?"

"There's always a place for all of you with us in Gorgipest" Morg interposed with TJ nodding in acquiescence, "SHOW is a holding company for a diverse range of interests, and Cedric, we particularly would want you, but we can find work — real work not make work — for any of you who want to come back with us."