Chapter 68

"Sundowner" was out of contact on the hyper run to Bhute and the crew took the opportunity to ease the tensions by exercising the grey matter in the simulators and the muscles in the gym; they relaxed by 'broidery and cooking- except for TJ and Chief Jang.

TJ reviewed his FTL files received as "Sundowner" crossed Settlement harbour.

Old Earth was developing an interest in the southern galaxy. It wasn't the fact that a war had, finally, made the headlines but rather that Frontier Fleet had drawn Earth's attention to that region by becoming more openly involved.

Hitchin, TJ's old acquaintance, had reported that a Frontier Fleet had had its head handed to it by a very smaller sized Mounty task force. When that word reached USN, TJ suspected the reaction would be to shoot the messengers and those like T J Strathlawn and Percy Gantry who had been advising the USN brass how outclassed they were — Strathlawn and Gantry did not do anything as crass as "warn"; they just doggedly referred to the reports the USN had from its own Naval Attaché's. Didn't help.

Dahlgren would submit a report which would find its way over many desks whose occupants would initial without reading and pass to the next on the list — TJ knew that most young officers were enthusiastic but the USN from top down discouraged initiative. It was a bad career move to unfavourably compare USN's capability with others.

TJ kept finding reports linking Sema with Chencon — an apparent contradiction considering Chencon's policy on muties — unless it was an internal policy only.

Sema's profile had diminished in the southwest and the Empire of Mountserrat's had increased subsequent to the foiling of that plot involving Frontier Fleet. The referendum for admission to the Empire had opened some eyes on Old Earth — the region was looked at as the supplier of primary products and Sol was possessive about the relationship. Mounty — Sol relationships were headed for a worsening.

Orville had had his workshop manufacturing robos in the style of Art — general purpose workers. Derrin had digested Orville's library, and at Orville's request had turned his attention to specialised robos which would have no other function but turning ore into metal, forming and joining metal. Orville now had sixty GD robos and plans were made for another one hundred and fifty Specials — none of which would look like Threep; smelters and slipways were very different to surgeries. Orville was also consulted on the refit, but once the engineering was "right", he cared less about appearances and interior.

Morg and Cedric had been roped in by Derrin to discuss the general principles to be used in the refit. The conference agreed that a complete external rebuild was necessary for warp drive; this would lead to certain internal changes. Morg had had a long time to think about the internal structure of "Sundowner" which was suitable for a freighter but not for a vessel carrying more than a merchie's crew and who required access to other decks. Plus there was no provision for handling heavy loads internally on "Sundowner". Morg started a wish list which Derrin delighted* in tearing apart — but some ideas persisted.

(*'puters don't own emotions — no frontal lobes, you see. They have this unfortunate attitude that each byte must be either on or off — no half way measures — all or nothing. The obstination lead to 'puters being accused of "delighting" in being "negative". Just does not compute.)

Cedric had a concern for antennae placement. Warp speed meant no protuberances. Derrin ran the question through his chromosome chips and suggested some options using the Great White profile. Derrin had also examined the tapes of the messenger capsule and showed Cedric, in a sequence beyond the downward protrusion of the hyper / hard space boundary layer, the line of energy marking the trek of the capsule. Being EW with inbuilt paranoia, Cedric listened carefully to Derrin's explanation of the reason for the trail and the options to at least minimise its detection. Cedric's attitude was the less anyone knew about what "Sundowner" was doing the better he liked it. So Cedric agreed to several general ideas for the refit.

A more relaxed crew translated "Sundowner" out of hyper again days out of planetfall. Clare was becoming decidedly twitchy(?) about approaching star systems.

"Getting paranoid in your old age, Boss?" TJ gently ribbed his captain.

"No, TJ. It's getting to old age that is concentrating my attention. People keep picking on me whenever I approach their front door so I'm going to make my approaches a tad more carefully. And that's why we're swinging to the north of the star to make our approach — well out of the direct space lane from Mountserrat but not as far as the 'Pest lane. We see any one on the way we are coming in, we look for a reason."

Clare put all the scouts up, three ahead and one astern, with a pair of HACs as close escort which lead to Orville making the observation during a routine officer call,

"Clare, the scouts could do with a refurbishing in the near future; we've been working them."

"Can we replace them next time we are in 'Pest?"

This brought a response from Morg,

"SHOW don't make 'em. These were one offs — literally homebuilt. We gave the plans to Third Space Lord and collect the royalties. From memory, I don't think we'd even met you then; we were for "Naseby" ... long time ago."

"Could Derrin do..." Clare started.

"I am better suited for rebuilds and new than maintenance," Derrin broke in; "the robos are designed for that sort of thing ... I can build eight new while we refit, and present plans will accommodate."

"Suits. Any one got anything else?"

"I can upgrade "Tangerine" during the refit" Derrin told them. "Its strong enough."

Morg and TJ exchanged enthusiastic nods across the table.

"Everyone? Agreed? That's it? Carry on please." Clare closed the meet and returned to her office where she linked her 'puter direct to Derrin and entered

"Query 737 and scouts warp capable."

"Affirmative" came the reply "Morg and TJ are asking same question."

"No need for them to know of my interest."

The cursor blossomed twice and the link disconnected.

"Boss" Morg reported "number three scout reports recent explosion eighty two kay, zero two seven, zero ninah three from its present location; active sweep shows stationary target one ninety kay zero four one, zero ninah one from us."

Clare considered for a moment doing the sums,

"Activate Dune and head for the target, move the scouts to intercept the target and have the HACs do a visual on the explosion; I'll come up."

"Captain on the bridge."

"My ship, Mr Windsor."

"Your ship, Ma'am. Dune activated, tracking for the target and Blue Section closing on the explosion."

"Very good, Mr Windsor."

"Ma'am" Sandra reported from the right seat "Blue Three reports damaged Bhute Space Guard life pod ... ah no survivors, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Ms Pendle. Have them tractor the pod and return to the ship. Space actions stations please. Mr Windsor, put scouts one and two beyond the target."

The acknowledgements were made as the bongs sounded, and Wendy Masterton called over the tannoy,

"D'ye hear there, d'ye hear there, all hands to action stations space, all hand to action stations space."

The orchestrated chaos of the crew response was organised pandemonium. Morg struggling into his hard suit grabbed Eva Porter who was first on the bridge and sent her for Clare's hardsuit in her accommodation. Eva turned in a cloud of muttered invective and a spread of her own hardsuit and disappeared off the bridge.

A random thought flittered across Clare's mind as she watched Wendy calmly attending to her duties as the Watch left seater. Orville and Wendy were sole partnered; Orville was the Chief Engineer and Wendy was Deck Ape — whatever did they talk about. Clare managed to stifle her giggle.

A hardsuited Dorothy Ember relieved Wendy in the left seat,

"Bosun on the helm."

Eva, still only half in her hardsuit, appeared with Clare's and then assisted her captain to don hers before completing her suiting.

"Ship closed up, Ma'am."

"Very good, Mr Windsor"

"Scout two reports two ships hove to and joined. No shields. Larger has a hot spot starboard beam." Cedric reported and threw the holo, "small luxury passenger liner and a good sized space yacht. That red spot consistent with a recently fired laser but then I might just be paranoid — it could be an auxiliary power plant."

"Same thing" muttered TJ.

"Very good, Mr Cahlewis. Com, have Blue Section hold off outside the shield until we get this sorted out."

"Blue Section stand off, aye, Ma'am" Janice reported from the com console

The scouts were level with the target ships which had not changed their position.

"Cedric? What would happen if we came alongside that pair and enveloped them in the expanding shield?"

"Don't know, Boss" Cedric started "we can't deploy the triple inside Dune because the energy fields would mask — Dune would drop out almost immediately and the triple lights up even merchie screens."

"I was thinking the electronic middle shield."

"The messenger capsule? Yah ... Enviro would shut down - there'd be enough air in her to survive four or so hours. Temperature could be a problem though. Impact? If I think what you're thinking, you only need to make contact hard enough to displace the outer layer but even that could be too heavy. How about scraping her hull with the triple? That would peel the outer layer and contact the anti 'lectric and once its down they'd have to reprogramme."

"Thanks Cedric."

Clare was gauging the distances,

"Helm, turnover and head for the target. Mr Windsor, challenge them for inspection; our USN role."

Morg walked to the com console and connected his earbud,

"Ahoy there, this is USN armed merchant cruiser "Sundowner", remain hove to and ready for inspection."

The yacht was disconnecting and her impellors were coming on line.

"Have a scout put a beam ahead of them." Clare directed.

"Scout laser, aye Ma'am ... Fired ... ah good of him! He's lost interest in leaving, Ma'am and I'm holding the scouts t'other side of them."

"Very well, Mr Hobson. Thank you."

"Mr Cahlewis, activate triple shield. Helm, scrape that liner with the shield, don't worry about the yacht if you can't get her too."

"Scrape her, aye. Ma'am" Dorothy gave the impression she received such orders every day of the week.

Dorothy gave another demonstration of her ship handling skills as she brought the rapidly decelerating "Sundowner" to a stop directly level with the targeted ships.

Clare gave her orders for the inspections,

"Mr Hobson, with Ms Dell, take Ms James and four, in 737, boarding party to the liner, Ms James to remain on board 737.

Mr Windsor, with Ms Allie, take two, in Bulb, boarding party to the yacht."

"Ah, Boss" Cedric reminded them, "the airlocks might be on manual."

'Yah, forgot about that, I was more concerned at closing down any weapons. Threep and Art in 737. Derrin, have you a robo to send to the yacht?"

"Robo zero zero seven is on its way to port boat bay."

TJ had got his party armed with projectile weapons but armed himself with an assault beam rifle and several stun grenades. Morg did likewise.