Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (56 page)

             
Commander
Petrocova
laughed.
"
And
you
say
that
they
are
devious?
You
make
even
the
great
Machiavelli
look
like
a
saint.
I
'
ll
do
it,
where
can
I
get
a
figure
for
'
x
'
that
will
be
authentic?
"

             
"
I
'
ll
give
you
one.
"
The
Executive
Commander
smiled.
"
I
got
it
from
the
Chief
of
Construction,
it
'
s
the
cost
per
day
of
this
build
–
every
day
they
add
to
the
build
time
costs
an
arm
and
a
leg
–
and
probably
another
ship
as
well.
"

             
"
I
bet,
"
snorted
Mary
Allison.
"
Just
look
at
the
cost
overruns
they
are
trying
to
push
now
we
have
identified
all
the
'
cheap
'
and
underspec
components
they
substituted
on
their
little
cost
cutting
exercise.
"

             
"
You
can
rest
easy
on
that
one,
"
the
Executive
Commander
replied.
"
Fleet
have
invoked
a
contract
clause
–
all
costs
to
be
borne
by
the
responsible
parties.
The
bureaucrats
are
squirming
because
they
had
creamed
off
a
massive
profit
as
'
savings
'
and
diverted
it.
Now
they
have
to
pay
it
back
with
interest.
I
suspect
that
is
why
they
are
trying
this
new
game.
"

***

             
The
Captain
surveyed
the
newly
fitted
out
Command
Centre
carefully.
It
was
certainly
novel
and
he
had
the
impression
that
he
was
suspended
in
the
centre
of
a
vast
sphere,
everywhere
he
looked
he
could
see
the
space
surrounding
the
ship,
even
the
vast
docking
arms
that
still
tethered
her
to
the
construction
dock
were
in
the
picture
and
that
was
not
distorted
but
showed
the
'
real
'
distances
and
relationships
to
the
ship.
Even
the
suited
figures
of
the
workers
still
swarming
over
parts
of
the
hull
were
in
the
view.
He
walked
forward
to
his
Command
Chair
and
sat.
Immediately
the
displays
built
into
the
arm
rests
came
to
life
and
he
rotated
himself
slowly,
taking
in
the
surroundings
yet
again
from
this
vantage
point.
Nothing
seemed
to
interfere
with
his
view,
not
even
the
many
work
stations
arranged
around
the
space.
He
nodded
to
his
Executive
Commander
and
the
anxious
technicians
gathered
for
this
first
trail
run,
"
It
'
s
good,
even
better
than
the
simulator.
"
To
the
Command
Team
he
said,
"
Take
your
stations
and
let
'
s
run
the
tests.
"

             
The
officers
and
rates
moved
to
their
workstations
and
took
their
seats,
each
logging
in
and
confirming
their
status
as
the
computer
responded.

             
"
Vocal
command
simulation,
"
the
Captain
ordered.
"
Commence
voice
pattern
checks
and
recognition.
"

             
"
Welcome,
Captain,
"
the
ethereal
'
voice
'
of
the
ship
was
brisk.
"
Voice
recognised,
Captain
James
Heron,
officer
in
command.
Your
orders,
Captain?
"

             
"
Simulate
undocking
and
preparation
for
transit.
Simulation
only,
repeat
,
simulation
only.
"

             
"
Simulation
only.
Undocking
procedures
ready,
awaiting
your
command.
"

             
"
Navigation
online
please,
"
the
Captain
ordered.
"
Navigation;
simulation
undocking.
Course
required
for
orbit
preparatory
for
entering
transit
from
this
location.
"

             
"
Course
laid
in,
sir.
"
The
voice
of
Commander
Ben
Curran,
the
Navigating
Officer
sounded
on
the
Captain
'
s
link.
"
Helm
on
standby.
"

             
"
Confirm,
simulation
only,
helm
on
standby.
Engineering,
simulation
of
manoeuvring
power
to
attain
orbit
for
transition
to
transit.
Commence.
"

             
"
Engineering
online,
manoeuvring
power
for
undocking.
Ready.
"

             
"
Ship,
commence
simulation,
show
movement
as
if
the
ship
is
undocking.
"

             
"
Commencing
simulation,
please
activate
docking
locks
release.
"

             
Captain
Heron
looked
across
at
the
officer
responsible
for
this
function
and
said,
"
Enter
the
release
code.
"
He
grinned.
"
And
make
sure
you
have
the
simulation
command
entered,
it
would
upset
the
workforce
no
end
if
we
moved
her
now!
"