Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (121 page)

             
They
listened
to
the
rest
of
the
briefing
in
silence
then
gathered
their
detailed
order
chips
from
the
Exercise
Commander
and
departed
to
brief
their
own
teams.
The
next
four
days
promised
to
be
interesting,
exciting
for
some,
and
demanding
for
every
member
of
the
crew.

***

             
The
Kiev
was
smaller
than
the
new
Vanguard
,
but
still
impressive
and
her
newly
installed
upgrades
on
weapons
and
systems
made
her
a
formidable
opponent.
But
her
Captain,
Yuri
Polensk,
had
to
acknowledge
that
the
ship
he
was
supposed
to
take
on
was,
on
paper,
more
powerful
than
his
own
even
with
her
upgrades.
To
his
second
in
command
he
said,
"
This
will
be
an
interesting
exercise
Andreas,
Vanguard
is
very
new
and
equipped
with
some
of
the
new
scanners
and
weapons
we
do
not
have
room
to
install.
"

             
"
Then
perhaps
we
can
be
glad
she
makes
a
bigger
target,
"
his
Executive
Commander
replied.
"
Especially
when
we
are
required
to
change
roles
–
I
do
not
like
our
having
to
defend.
Attack
is
always
better
than
defence.
"

             
"
Our
turn
will
come,
"
smiled
the
Captain.
"
For
now,
these
are
our
dispositions.
We
will
take
up
station
in
readiness
immediately.
The
next
few
days
will
be
a
good
challenge.
We
have
spent
too
much
time
playing
in
simulators
–
now
we
can
test
our
skills
in
real
time
and
in
real
manoeuvres.
"

***

             
In
the
days
that
followed
tempers
frayed
on
both
sides
and
in
all
ships
as
both
ships
and
men
were
stretched
to
breaking
point.
But
eventually
this
exercise
was
drawn
to
a
close,
with
Vanguard
having
succeeded
in
inserting
her
landing
force
and
crippling
her
opponent.

             
"
James,
"
Yuri
Polensk
greeted
his
opponent.
"
I
think
I
must
demand
to
have
Valerie
Petrocova
returned
to
me.
You
have
stolen
the
best
weapons
Commander
from
us
to
man
your
ship.
This
is
not
right!
"

             
"
Yuri,
I
think
I
'
d
have
a
mutiny
on
my
hands
if
I
even
suggested
she
give
up
the
weapons
department
she
has
created
here.
"
James
Heron
smiled.
"
Your
own
weapons
people
did
a
magnificent
job
though.
I
thought
you
had
the
edge
on
us
for
a
while,
but
then
our
heavier
punch
started
to
tell.
Tell
you
what,
how
about
a
dinner
between
our
ships
after
the
debriefing?
I
'
ll
invite
the
Admiral
and
his
staff.
"

             
"
Good
idea,
"
the
Russian
Captain
acknowledged,
"
I
accept.
What
is
it
you
say?
Your
place
or
mine?
"

             
Both
Captains
laughed.
"
Why
not
both?
"
James
Heron
responded.
"
My
ship
can
entertain
yours
first
and
then
we
can
swop
over
for
a
second
party
aboard
yours.
I
think
our
people
deserve
it
don
'
t
you?
"

             
"
Agreed,
"
Yuri
Polensk
replied.
"
Name
the
day
and
the
time.
"

             
"
It
will
have
to
be
tonight
and
tomorrow,
"
Captain
Heron
responded,
"
We
start
a
new
set
of
evolutions
which
will
take
up
a
month
in
four
days
time
–
and
I
'
ll
need
my
people
sobered
up
by
then.
"

             
"
Very
well,
"
Yuri
replied.
"
I
will
inform
my
compatriots
–
we
will
look
forward
to
it.
"

***

             
After
the
hard
work
of
the
previous
four
days
the
party
for
both
Rates
and
the
Officers
was
a
welcome
relief.
Captain
Heron
proud
that
his
ship
rose
to
the
occasion
and
turned
on
a
magnificent
meal
and
an
entertainment
to
follow
which
cemented
many
relationships
even
across
some
language
difficulties.
And
the
Executive
Commander
was
even
more
impressed
by
the
fact
that
he
was
confronted
by
only
two
defaulters
once
the
reciprocation
had
taken
place.

             
"
Both
of
them
on
report
and
reprimanded,
"
he
informed
the
Captain.
"
Silly
idiots
got
carried
away
with
some
vodka
the
Russians
brought
with
them
and
both
of
them
should
have
known
better
than
to
try
drinking
that
stuff
against
professional
vodka
heads.
"
He
chuckled.
"
Though
I
gather
some
of
the
Russian
chaps
weren
'
t
too
fit
afterward
either.
"