Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (22 page)

             
"
Excellent.
Have
you
got
the
schedule
for
the
training
simulations
to
get
used
to
the
new
Command
displays?
Good,
I
'
ve
done
several
runs
on
it
now
and
I
must
say
once
you
get
used
to
standing
at
the
centre
of
a
globular
display
its
fantastic;
you
have
a
360
view
in
all
directions.
It
is
a
bit
distracting
at
first,
but
it
'
s
probably
the
nearest
thing
we
'
ll
ever
get
to
actually
being
able
to
stand
on
a
deck
and
see
what
is
happening
around
us.
"

             
"
Yes,
"
the
Commander
nodded.
"
And
I
'
ve
done
the
introductory
run
in
the
Training
suite
at
Woomera
Base.
As
you
say,
it
'
s
quite
an
experience.
"

             
"
Better
and
better.
As
you
know,
we
have
some
concerns
regarding
the
political
scene
and
some
of
the
intel
from
the
colonies
suggests
that
there
is
some
sort
of
threat
to
the
democracies
developing.
The
World
Treaty
Organisation
is
struggling
to
keep
things
stable.
Fleet
Intelligence
suggests
that
there
is
an
organisation
actively
working
to
undermine
the
treaties
and
destabilise
elected
governments.
"

             
"
I
'
ve
seen
the
assessments.
It
'
s
worrying.
"

             
"
With
everything
else
we
have
to
do
the
last
thing
humanity
needs
now
is
a
war,
yet
it
looks
as
if
the
Eastern
Powers,
particularly
the
Sino-Asian
Imperium
are
looking
to
expand
their
territorial
claims
and
to
take
a
bigger
share
of
global
resources.
There
is
a
lot
of
concern
about
it
all
and
the
Admiral
has
indicated
that
our
working
up
successfully
is
expected
to
send
a
warning
signal
to
some
of
the
more
ambitious
ones.
"

             
"
I
wondered,
"
the
Commander
said.
"
OK,
I
'
ll
make
sure
the
team
know
what
'
s
at
stake
and
that
everyone
is
on
their
toes.
We
can
'
t
afford
any
sabotage
either
and
there
will
be
those
who
may
be
tempted
in
that
direction.
"

             
"
I
'
ll
keep
you
updated
on
developments,
"
the
Captain
nodded.
His
comlink
chirped.
"
Never
stops.
OK,
Richard,
I
'
ll
let
you
get
on.
"
He
answered
the
link
and
listened
to
the
request
to
attend
a
meeting
in
the
Chief
Constructors
office
immediately.
He
acknowledged
the
message
and
said
to
the
Commander,
"
I
wonder
what
disaster
they
plan
to
spring
on
me
now.
If
you
have
nothing
scheduled
for
the
next
hour,
I
'
d
appreciate
your
company.
It
'
ll
give
you
an
introduction
to
the
daily
struggle
to
stay
on
track.
"

***

             
The
Chairman
of
the
Consortium,
Ari
Khamenei,
leaned
back
in
his
chair
and
contemplated
the
progress
made
to
date
on
his
–
and
the
Board
'
s
–
plans
to
achieve
control
of
government
in
several
key
democratic
states
and
increase
their
influence
in
several
more.
In
some
areas
progress
was
swifter
and
easier
than
anticipated,
in
others
obstacles
had
to
be
cleared
so
further
progress
could
be
made.
One
such
obstacle
was
the
Independent
Fleet
Commission.
All
efforts
so
far
to
gain
control
of
any
seat
among
the
commissioners
had
failed.
True,
the
acquisition
of
WeapTech,
the
now
privatised
weapons
and
systems
development
arm
of
the
Fleet
brought
with
it
the
ability
to
cream
off
lucrative
developments
and
remove
them
from
the
military
–
diversions
that
benefited
the
Consortium
'
s
Security
forces
and
left
the
military
vulnerable
in
any
future
conflict.
And
conflict
was
something
he
was
sure
would
have
to
come.

             
The
Chairman
looked
up
as
a
man
entered
the
office
in
a
uniform
not
unlike
the
Fleet
'
s.
He
carried
the
rank
markings
of
an
Admiral
and
accepted
the
greeting
and
the
proffered
seat
carefully.
"
What
news?
"
the
chairman
asked.

             
"
Good
progress
has
been
made
on
the
four
ships
we
are
rebuilding
as
starships;
they
will
be
ready
within
months.
And
work
has
started
on
the
first
of
our
new
class
of
those,
"
the
Admiral
replied.
"
I
have
only
one
concern.
If
news
of
this
project
were
to
reach
the
Fleet
they
could
demand
its
handover
to
their
control.
It
is,
after
all,
being
paid
for
out
of
money
loaded
onto
the
projects
your
surrogates
are
building
or
refitting
for
them.
"