Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (123 page)

             
"
I
have
seen
that.
It
doesn
'
t
look
or
sound
very
good.
There
was
a
report
that
the
Interplanetary
Development
lot
have
dispossessed
a
number
of
settlers
and
seized
control
–
they
say
fairly
by
outright
purchase
–
of
all
the
mineral
assets
there.
From
the
sound
of
it
the
local
operators
and
miners
didn
'
t
have
much
choice.
"
He
frowned.
"
And
Brussels
seems
to
be
doing
its
usual
dither.
The
debate
in
Strasbourg
was
a
joke.
Caught
it
on
the
news
–
they
can
'
t
seem
to
decide
whose
side
they
are
on
or
even
who
they
actually
represent
anymore.
"

             
"
So
it
seems,
"
the
Exec
agreed.
"
Last
week
there
was
a
big
exposé
when
it
was
revealed
that
around
a
hundred
of
the
buggers
are
being
paid
to
represent
some
big
commercial
interests.
Sounds
as
if
they
are
trying
to
get
the
law
changed
to
allow
more
takeovers
of
colonial
assets
by
IPD
or
some
of
the
other
big
players.
"

             
"
No
wonder
the
colony
worlds
aren
'
t
happy.
I
wouldn
'
t
be
–
doing
all
the
work
in
environments
that
are
only
just
human
tolerant
only
to
have
some
of
the
big
money
men
move
in
and
take
away
everything
you
'
ve
worked
for.
That
seems
to
be
the
Pangaea
situation.
"

             
"
Well,
as
they
say,
that
'
s
for
the
politicians
to
sort
out.
But,
by
the
look
of
it,
if
it
doesn
'
t
go
the
way
some
interested
parties
want
it
to
at
the
ballot
box
–
they
just
cancel
the
election,
rush
into
court
and
claim
it
'
s
been
manipulated.
"
The
Executive
Commander
grimaced.
"
Didn
'
t
someone
once
say
that
democracy
was
the
worst
of
all
systems
–
except
for
all
the
others?
"

             
"
I
believe
so.
"
The
Captain
smiled
and
shrugged
his
shoulders.
"
Anyway,
we
have
a
ship
to
run
and
to
get
up
to
efficiency.
What
'
s
on
the
programme
for
tomorrow
'
s
exercises?
"

-

             
The
Spartan
and
her
charges
eased
into
the
great
natural
harbour
of
Bombay
on
the
first
of
the
monsoon.
Overhead
great
columns
of
cloud
threatened
lightning
and
rain.
The
wind
was,
as
yet,
gentle
so
that
the
ships
were
barely
making
headway.
The
recovered
Company
brig
led
the
way
with
the
Spartan
towing
the
captured
Dhow.
The
ships
edged
deeper
into
the
crowded
bay,
a
guard
boat
dancing
ahead
as
they
neared
the
city
and
sought
the
anchorage
assigned
them.
It
had
been
a
short
and
challenging
voyage
and
even
now
the
Dhow
'
s
original
crew
were
confined
below
decks.
Their
strange
prayer
habits,
refusal
to
eat
almost
all
the
meat
put
before
them
and
loose
cotton
clothes,
so
alien
to
Harry
and
his
companions,
instantly
setting
them
apart
from
their
surroundings.

             
The
guard
boat
signalled
and
Spartan
heeled
into
a
turn
even
as
her
sails
vanished
under
the
hands
of
the
topmen.

             
Mister
Beasley
called,
"
On
station.
Let
go.
"
The
anchor
plunged
into
the
murky
water
even
as
the
ship
completed
her
turn
into
the
wind.
The
cable
was
only
just
belayed
when
there
was
a
great
flash
of
lightning
from
the
piled
clouds
overhead
and
a
tremendous
clap
of
thunder
followed
instantly,
seemingly
shaking
the
ship
itself.
Then
the
heavens
opened
in
a
downpour
that
soaked
everyone
on
deck
to
the
skin
in
seconds.

             
"
Welcome
to
the
East,
Mister
Bell,
"
remarked
the
Captain,
taking
shelter
beneath
the
break
of
the
poop.
"
I
am
told
these
deluges
seldom
last
–
but
I
think
it
would
be
wise
to
ship
our
awnings
while
we
are
here.
"

             
As
he
spoke
the
rain
began
to
ease
and
the
sun
once
more
broke
through
to
raise
steam
from
the
rain
slicked
decks.
Mister
Bell
gave
orders
for
the
awnings
to
Lieutenant
Beasley
and
then
asked,
"
What
of
the
prisoners,
sir?
Shall
I
arrange
to
have
them
sent
ashore?
"