Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure by Patrick G. Cox

immediately. The Master has a number of charts needing correction and you will assist him in his work until it is completed. " He glared at the three and then asked, " Well? Mister Peterson? Mister Heron? Must I add refusal to obey an order to my list of charges? "
     
                  Harry was the first to move, exiting the opening in the screen just as the Boatswain returned with Ferghal. " Nothing found, sir, " he said, his eyes fixed on the purse the lieutenant still held.
     
                  Harry made his way stiffly to the Master ' s tiny cabin and knocked. " Mister Rae sent me. "
     
                  " Come in lad, " the Master was a big and rather bluff man who seemed to fill most of the small space, " We ' ll go to the Chart Room and set to work. "
     
    ***
     
                  Harry was not privy to the outcome of Eamon Barclay ' s interview with Mister Bell, nor to a subsequent interview with the same officer and Midshipman Peterson. He did learn that both the accusation and Barclay ' s subsequent assault on his person was conveyed to the Boatswain by the boy Danny Gunn and thence to the Second by Mister Billing himself. The Second had, in fact, been at the fore end of the Lower Gundeck at the time and so arrived swiftly and timeously. That Barclay had been punished and given the severest warning as to his future conduct did permeate through the ship, reaching Ferghal long before it reached Harry. And when it was repeated to him, he had the wisdom to snap at the bearer of the news and warn him to hold his tongue and cease spreading gossip concerning an officer. But it was hard to hide the little glow of satisfaction he felt at the news.
     
                  The bruises faded in due course, but not the memory of the false accusation and the beating. Harry was not one to harbour grudges or to seek revenge, but he now treated Barclay with great circumspection, suspicion and caution, thankful their officers seemed to be taking pains to ensure there was little opportunity for them to be alone together or for Peterson to be in Barclay ' s company alone. He could not know Captain Blackwood himself was taking an interest in his and the other Midshipmen ' s activities and development.
     
                  For his part Barclay was resentful and blamed Harry for the failure of what he saw as a legitimate attempt to stamp his authority on the Messmen, in particular on Ferghal, and to make the ' lower deck scum ' respect him. " The Second had no business interfering in my disciplining that upstart Heron, " he complained to Tom Bowles. " He has undermined my authority completely. "
     
                  " From where I stand it is yourself to blame for that, " Tom retorted. " I warned you, did I not, the Captain would not stand for the tricks you used in our last ship? " He frowned, " Falsely accusing a man of theft is hardly the way to win respect. You brought us all into disrepute with that folly. What were you thinking? "
     
                  " None of your business, it is a family matter. Mark my words, Heron will pay for it and so will that man of his. Scum the lot of them – and the O ' Connors worst of all. "
     
    -
     

Chapter 6 — 2202AD: An old enemy; a new guise
     
                  " Richard, " James Heron greeted his newly arrived Executive Commander. " Welcome to the shambles! "
     
                  The newcomer smiled, accepting the proffered handshake. " Thanks, sir. I must say she ' s impressive even in this incomplete state. When are they likely to allow us to take her out on trials? "
     
                  " No fixed date yet, but the estimate is around six more months. Then we ' ll have about eighteen months of trials and training to get through before she ' s ready to undertake any missions. "
     
                  " Well, plenty of time to get her absolutely right then. Who