Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (28 page)

             
Lieutenant-Commander
Mansfield
grinned.
"
I
'
ll
make
sure
we
get
them
all
identified
and
send
it
to
you
on
your
tablet
shall
I?
Don
'
t
kill
anyone,
Boss,
the
paperwork
with
these
civil
types
is
a
real
pain.
"

             
"
Don
'
t
worry,
Pete,
"
she
growled.
"
They
'
re
not
worth
it.
Send
me
the
full
list
as
soon
as
possible.
I
'
m
going
to
see
the
Captain
first,
then
the
Yard
Admiral
if
I
can
get
a
slot.
After
that,
we
'
ll
see.
"

***

             
Mister
Artur
Ribble
considered
himself
a
reasonable
man,
but
this
small
woman
was
trying
his
patience.
"
My
dear,
Commander,
"
he
began,
yet
again.
"
Savings
had
to
be
made.
I
consulted
several
specialists
and
decided
that
these
units
were
quite
capable
of
doing
what
was
required.
At
less
than
half
the
cost
of
those
specified
and
the
sheer
number
involved,
we
managed
to
find
a
considerable
reduction
in
overall
cost.
Certainly
the
power
output
may
be
a
little
less
than
you
seem
to
think
is
necessary,
but
I
was
assured
that
for
most
operations
the
output
that
can
be
achieved
with
the
modifications
I
authorised
was
quite
sufficient.
"

             
"
I
see.
"
Mary
'
s
voice
was
dangerously
quiet.
"
And
your
qualification
in
propulsion
engineering
is?
"

             
"
I
haven
'
t
one,
"
he
snapped.
"
As
I
have
repeatedly
told
you,
I
took
advice
from
a
number
of
experts
before
I
consented
to
the
change.
"

             
"
So
you
will
not
be
aware
these
units
are
required
to
operate
at
maximum
output
during
the
initiation
phase
of
transit
and
again
for
forty
percent
of
the
initial
breaking
phase
of
drop
out?
"
She
glared
across
the
desk.
"
Perhaps
you
will
also
not
be
aware,
as
we
can
get
only
seventy
percent
at
peak
power
as
modified,
this
is
insufficient
to
reach
transit
velocity
or
decelerate
running
them
at
full
power
for
one
hundred
percent
of
the
time
–
a
guarantee
they
will
fail
since
they
aren
'
t
designed
to
do
that
repeatedly.
"

             
"
I
don
'
t
see
what
the
problem
is.
"
Mister
Ribble
didn
'
t
like
the
tone
of
this
conversation
or
the
Commander
'
s
attitude.
He
was
Chief
Executive
of
the
Construction
Dock.
This
was
his
office
and
she
dared
to
speak
to
him
as
if
he
was
some
ignorant
clerk.
"
Your
power
units
or
whatever
they
are
function.
I
'
m
assured
you
can
achieve
transit
or
drop
out
with
them.
These
ships
are
massively
expensive
and
components
from
WeapTech
now
have
to
be
paid
for
at
market
prices
and
not
at
simple
cost
as
before.
Savings
have
to
be
made
and
I
have
made
them
where
they
will
have
least
impact
on
the
efficiency
of
the
ship.
"

             
"
Least
impact?
"
Mary
'
s
temper
snapped.
"
Mister,
I
will
tell
you
now.
These
units
will
fail
–
in
fact,
the
one
we
are
currently
testing
is
already
showing
signs
of
failure.
Who
the
hell
did
you
buy
this
junk
from?
Sure
these
things
cost
less
than
the
specified
units
–
because
they
damned
well
don
'
t
do
what
is
required!
If
one
of
these
fails
during
entry
into
transit
do
you
know
what
will
happen?
Do
you
know
what
will
happen
if
they
fail
during
drop
out?
No
I
didn
'
t
think
you
did
and
don
'
t
give
me
that
outraged
look!
You
will
be
hearing
from
the
Admiral
and
believe
me
you
'
d
better
have
a
damned
side
better
excuse.
I
intend
to
report
this
as
attempted
sabotage.
You
have
deviated
from
specification
on
equipment
that
is
vital
to
the
safe
operation
of
this
ship.
Did
you
really
think
we
wouldn
'
t
notice?
"
She
stood
up
and
grabbed
her
tablet.
"
This
isn
'
t
finished,
not
by
a
long
way.
"