Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (143 page)

             
"
What
ails
you,
man?
"
demanded
Lieutenant
Rae.
"
It
did
not
strike
us,
though
it
came
damnably
close.
No
closer
than
a
French
ball
in
fact.
"

             
Barclay
looked
abashed,
"
Sorry,
sir.
It
made
me
remember
a
tale
of
my
grandfather;
he
was
struck
while
riding
in
a
storm
at
home
and
was
left
paralysed.
It
won
'
t
happen
again.
"

             
"
I
expect
not.
"
The
lieutenant
paused,
about
to
add
some
further
comment,
but
changed
his
mind,
saying
instead,
"
Very
well,
see
you
are
ready
first
thing
for
our
departure.
"

***

             
Following
their
breakfast
Lieutenant
Rae
assembled
the
party
on
the
veranda.
The
Mahouts
and
their
charges
were
already
waiting
patiently
and
he
said,
"
Come,
we
must
begin
our
return
before
the
afternoon
storms
begin
their
progression.
"
The
lieutenant
turned
to
the
Parson
and
said,
"
Ready,
Mister
Bentley?
Then
let
us
depart.
"

-

             
Captain
Heron
removed
his
Mess
jacket
and
sank
into
a
comfortable
chair
in
his
private
quarters
with
a
sigh.
The
last
guests
had
just
departed,
the
Admiral
had
returned
to
his
Flagship
and
now
he
had
time
to
himself
at
last
to
consider
his
newly
commissioned
ship.
He
stared
at
the
pale
amber
liquid
in
his
tumbler.
The
rich
aroma
of
the
twelve
year
old
Irish
Whiskey
stirred
his
senses
as
he
considered
the
work
of
the
last
nine
months.
The
months
of
training
had
finally
been
completed.
Training
that
was
as
much
about
teaching
the
ship
'
s
AI
computer
its
functions
and
responses,
as
it
was
about
teaching
the
human
crew
to
work
with
it
and
the
systems
they
must
manage
in
order
to
make
the
ship
as
efficient
as
possible.
For
now
the
ship
'
s
company
could
rotate
to
their
homes
on
leave.
In
two
weeks
the
ship
would
receive
her
orders
and
commence
her
first
mission,
a
trip
out
to
the
planet
Pangaea
the
Admiral
had
said.
The
colony
there
was
in
trouble
according
to
all
the
reports.

             
The
link
on
his
wrist
chirped.
With
a
sigh
he
touched
the
pad
and
said,
"
Captain.
"

             
"
Sorry
to
disturb
you,
sir.
"
The
voice
was
that
of
his
executive
Commander.
"
The
Admiral
has
sent
a
package
FYEO.
Shall
I
bring
it
in?
"

             
"
Please,
Richard,
"
the
Captain
said.
"
He
'
s
obviously
keen
not
to
let
me
off
the
hook.
Come
on
in
and
join
me
in
a
celebratory
glass.
"

             
Very
few
people
realised
that
James
Heron
had
a
trick
when
it
came
to
social
events.
While
others
indulged
in
the
drinking,
he
was
always
careful.
In
fact
he
drank
very
little
and
though
it
appeared
that
he
was
drinking
drink
for
drink,
he
wasn
'
t
necessarily
drinking
what
an
observer
might
think.
The
secret
lay
in
what
he
was
drinking,
usually
a
mixer
so
it
always
looked
like
the
real
deal.
Only
when
he
knew
he
could
relax
fully
and
drop
his
guard
did
he
indulge
in
the
real
thing.
It
also
meant
that
he
kept
all
his
faculties
alert
in
company
and
often
heard
opinions
or
news
that
under
different
circumstances
might
have
been
withheld.
It
stood
him
in
very
good
stead
–
particularly
when
dealing
with
large
numbers
of
politicians
or
when
'
Dining
In
'
with
junior
ranks.
He
put
down
his
tumbler
and
fetched
the
decanter
and
a
second
tumbler,
placing
them
on
the
low
table
between
the
chairs.
The
door
alarm
sounded
and
he
said,
"
Come
in,
Richard.
"

             
"
Thank
you,
sir.
"
The
Executive
Commander
handed
over
a
small
sealed
package.
"
It
was
delivered
by
the
Admiral
'
s
Sergeant
of
the
Guard
with
a
verbal
instruction
that
it
was
to
be
handed
to
you
immediately.
"