Chapter 51

"Betime" berthed at the New Leige passenger orbital, customs checks were undertaken, air bridges joined and the passengers gaily disembarked to do all those things tourists do. TJ had examined the bridge coms and detection gear. His observations and assessment were that RHN Home Fleet was at full strength consistent with Naval Attachés' reports and they were very busy and well trained. During the stay, RHN appeared to have a complete turnover of vessels demonstrating a very active fleet. Signals were being constantly transmitted on the Navy frequencies — most of which were encrypted. The talk in the bars was of intense training up to fleet levels. Not the picture of a fleet sitting waiting for the next event to happen but rather one of a fleet about to make it happen.

TJ made several dirtside runs to assess the civilian attitudes towards the new government. He found the attitudes were mixed. Professional Dolists bemoaned the loss of the financial support of their chosen lifestyle and bitterly resented the necessity to earn their stipends; these however appeared to be in the minority. The majority of the population really didn't care much one way or the other as long as an individual and the family were able to survive, this newfound democracy didn't make much difference. The more politically active in the population were enthusiastic because the removal of the security apparatus allowed them free rein to their personal hobby horses.

TJ shared libations with many RHN lower decks; he found them 'sharper', having better morale and a more positive attitude towards their service. Long time senior NCOs were more vociferous in their support for the 'new navy' with its greater emphasis on professionalism rather than 'who knew who' political appointees; they were positively scathing about the now removed Security Commissioners.

Straws on the wind about the New Leige dockyard public houses indicated that the past several months had seen a definite increase in training activities involving squadron, flotilla and up to fleet evolutions. The logistics tail was at full stretch replenishing the fleet support vessels which were moving out to the 'front' in support of their fleets.

TJ had commed Bert Belter almost as soon as "Betime" had berthed but as TJ had expected Bert was still reluctant to be on the end of a com. TJ left a message. Early in the second week of the stay, Bert replied leaving a message. After a bit of crossed coms, TJ established a link the upshot of which was Bert would pick him up at the passenger orbital in a flivver and take him over to the port where "Sundowner" had berthed so long ago. Morg agreed to cover for TJ with Captain Stephens' consent.

Bert duly presented in an old model flivver and TJ clambered in, strapping the belts about him and donning a headset. The men exchanged pleasantries and chatted on about the political situation extant in Harbouria.

Bert was enthusiastic in his praise for the new system; not so much for the politicians who were a squabbling bunch of idiots (TJ had to smile at that one) but rather with the disappearance of the "big brother" in the wood pile. Bert claimed he could make his opinion about the government freely known and not worry about a visit in the wee small hours. Bert admitted that the "pols" weren't all that bad really; it was just that each one wanted his own little idea incorporated and this held everything up. At a business level, Bert said he got a bit frustrated with the 'Guv'mint's' interference but at least now you could tell the stupid sod behind the counter what you thought of the regulations.

His trade was doing well and the local market was the surprise — there was a lot more money around these days for his fabric.

"But I've got some surplus lying around if you want it. It's booked on "Betime" for Sol. If you want it, I can sell it to you and change the paper work from my factors to you."

"Done. Same arrangements? Price?" asked TJ.

"Price has actually come down a bit because the supply of it increased when the demand increased. Now If I'd held onto that shuttle load I sold you lot, I'd really have made a fortune or two but with the interest low because of not enough supply to make it just scarce instead of rare in what was a tight market early. Funny thing this free market. supply and demand don't quite cover it if there isn't the interest and without enough of the goods you cant stimulate the interest. Just about there now."

'There' was a decrepit looking large space yacht in the outer ring of that orbital parking area. What was interesting about the yacht was the two external pods fitted. Bert noticed TJ's look.

"Yah. I got intrigued by that shuttle of yours. I paid a visit to the expo the next day and had a chat with Ted Exter, I think his name was, and ordered two. They came through seven or so months later — made a hole in my Sol balance, I can tell you, - but worth it. This thing had been custom built for show by one of the early politicians who got overthrown at the beginning of the war. Totally under powered and really didn't go anywhere. Got it for a song, fitted the Podmounts, fired them up, slapped some decrepit pain over her for camouflage and suits me fine. With the pods, I can saunter around the systems and use the so called main engines as auxillaries. The colony like her — they can get into the enviro ducts and travel right throughout; and now they've got there own spacer. Here we go."

Bert put the flivver through the force field in his boat bay, parked the flivver in a cradle and clamped her down. The pair disembarked and Bert led TJ to the Master's Cabin with its resplendent furnishings. As they arrived, several spiders swung out of the overhead and descended onto the side table. Bert nodded at the seats,

"Soft or hard? Got some coffee if you want, Grenoble blend and good strong stuff; I use it to strip the paint off the flivver from time to time."

"I'll try the coffee first." Turned to the spider,

"How do you do?"

{Well. You still do not let us into your head.}

'No — just as far as communicating and no further.'

{Pity. Stubborn. Our kin?}

'Doing well and integrating well with my friends. They are doing training cruises galactic north of Sol. I see them regularly and they seem happy. Your kin sent their regards if I was to meet you.'

"Thanks Bert" as TJ took the proffered bulb "it's been a long time since I used one of these."

"You've got spoiled living in that palace of yours; any way coffee tastes better out a bulb."

"Does taste good at that. "Sundowner" will be coming out to Gorgipest in a couple of months and we, Morg and I, will join her there."

TJ explained their position on "Betime" and the plan.

"You might make it before the war begins again" offered Bert, and in response to TJ's enquiring look went on, "Congress is full of Hades and damnation of the Mounties. President keeps trying to negotiate with them but reports no progress — been like that for three, four years and the pollys — and the public — are getting het up about it with moves in Congress over the past year to start the war again

That Mounty Queen must be some sort of idiot to behave that way.

There has been a very large increase in the activity and size of the Navy — at least around this planet. Could be its just reinforcements from the outer nations but its all new build. Its going to start again — and soon. That liner of yours shouldn't stay too long.

Your big friend with you? Matriarch wanted to meet him."

{I could go with you and visit kin? Not matter when I return. Things good here.}

TJ's thought circuitry boggled — in "Betime"? Morg would love it, though; he had a rapport greater than TJ — TJ admitted to himself that was a low base to start from.

"A lot of people milling around inside the ship. And the overheads are not amenable to easy access. In "Betime", the overheads are all protected by close mesh grills to prevent passengers pushing rubbish and other things into the ducts. You could get in via the main enviro but you'd have to come out that way."

{Yacht is the same. We sit on grill for convenience — out of way. Bert, show him.}

Bert handed TJ what looked like a uniform tunic button sized turtle's carapace with a large opening at one end with holes of varying size scattered about;

"They crawl into the shell and their legs go out through the row of small holes on either side and they can fold them under the top's overhang. Their multiple eyes fit the larger holes; they do lose a bit of the down-side vision but, as they say, if they are sitting on a bulkhead or in a pocket, down-side don't matter."

"Neat. Who thought of this?"

"Spiders have had tribal knowledge of it for coupla centuries. No problem to make; just a sheet of moulding plastic over the mould, cures in atmospheric NTP, knock off the studs to expose the openings and they can crawl in. Sometimes you might have to smooth off an opening here or there — no more than a minute's work. They can see, hear and move about. Matriarch says she loses some vibration sense when her legs are tucked up but reckons she can live with that."

"Suits. Being distrusting, I gotta ask; how many?"

{Four. Must have attendants.}

"I am relieved. Thought I might have to take the colony and that I couldn't do and keep things secret."

TJ reached into his leg pocket and extracted a very battered looking PDA and handed it across to Bert,

"Transfer all your data into this one, Bert. Don't let the appearance fool you; it's a special outer case Morg literally bashed up. But inside is the latest Soyn and its set up to link to the polar com, which — if you haven't guessed already — is an FTL com link set up especially for muties..."

"Sorta had my suspicions, TJ; but why me? I ain't a mutie."

"True! But you are the shepherd for muties — the colony."

"Suits; but what's the deal with muties?"

"Bert, there is a hoary aphorism which originated on Old Earth — "blessed are the muties for they make marvellous scapegoats". Whenever things go pear shaped, people look for others to blame and politicians almost always nominate muties. They have this evil reputation in the folklore of every star system despite most of the outer systems being colonised by them; but the crush of norms following conveniently forget that.

This link feeds snippets of political information onto a network accessed by muties across the galaxy. You are the first non mutant, and you'll probably be the only non-mutant ever to have access; but then you are peculiarly unique as the shepherd of a colony of mutant spiders. All on the net assess the information with the view of deciding both safe and dangerous havens for muties. To date, the colony have been the only non human mutie species ever found, but those of us who know, and there are only very few, agree, as a group, we are just as much responsible for them as we are to other muties.

Are those power pods 'atomic'?"

"Yeh; I went into n space to fire them up the first time. Didn't want to advertise what they were. Have done some trialling in n and hyper and the yacht now has enough power for a fair turn of velocity and the power reserve looks untouched. I did some table cloth sums and I reckon we could travel from one side of the galaxy to the other. Food and water are the only problems."

"From what you said about this being a show off yacht, you've got more refrigeration than usual. (Bert nodded) Use it and rotate your fresh. Set yourself up a hydroponics unit — the spiders love them (the spiders bobbed) and store enough tinned and hard for, say, a voyage to Sol. That will give you the ability to bug out if you have to and exposure of the spiders' capabilities could make that needful."

"There are a lot of people who know I run a spider silk farm, though" Bert stated.

"Truth, but no one other than those selected by the spiders get to know of their abilities so it's tightly held but secrets eventually out" TJ replied.

"Yeh" from Bert "but it's held for over four centuries. I think Sol has forgotten about them; and I think the spiders put in a mind block or something if they feel at risk."

{We can. Not used it for long time. Last was when owners killed.}

"That 'putes" TJ reflected "and speaking of 'puters, give me the Soyn and I'll enter the oversight code for you to access the polar link and then you enter your password — and I don't want to know it — and I'll confirm."

The Soyn passed back and forth to complete the process.

"Give me the old PDA and I'll destroy it. Having two PDAs as a private person in a small business might attract attention as if you were trying to be somebody.

Now, take me round to meet the colony and also show me how to make those turtle shells."

TJ was returned to "Betime" with four stowaways in his pockets. TJ brought Morg up to date about the silk and introduced him to the new passengers who sorted themselves into two each for the humans — TJ had had a slight concern that all four would accompany him but didn't feel too guilty in wishing Morg got the four.

The one size fits all shells didn't quite work out that way, and the spiders preferred to be 'unarmoured' whenever possible while in the humans' cabins; which was as little as possible as they enjoyed the freedom of all the new minds to taste.