The Gatecrashers by Unknown

The Gatecrashers by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781911591580
Publisher: Canelo Books
Published: 2017-11-15T00:00:00+00:00


* * *

A bunch of Setter and X-12 officers were playing poker dice, the variety of the game known as Double Cameroon, that evening, when Brazier took his turn to go along and make the routine telephone-call. When he came back, squeezing his large frame on to the bench, he said, ‘Louis’s complaining he can’t get any work done when we interrupt him every few minutes. He wants to make it half-hourly again.’

‘Fine. But that was his own idea… Now there’s the high straight I needed…’

Gimber must be feeling better about things, he concluded. Sea-sickness on top of all the other discomforts would be fairly shattering to morale. He wished the weather would ease a little.

After supper, a signal from Stubborn was picked up and decoded. She was reporting having come across X-8 loose and wandering, having parted her tow from Seanymph earlier in the day. Stubborn gave the midget’s position, course and speed, so that FOSM could arrange for Seanymph to rendezvous with her and re-establish the tow.

‘Darned lucky finding her.’ MacGregor was turning in. ‘Odds against must’ve been in thousands.’

‘And I wouldn’t like to be in Jack Smart’s wet socks.’ Paul scooped up the dice. Smart was X-8’s passage-crew CO. ‘A whole night on the surface, in this sea?’

At midnight there was another urgent signal. X-11’s tow had parted, and Scourge had reversed course in the hope of finding her.

Nobody made any comment. But you couldn’t rest easily, either, after that. It was all too obvious that X-11 might not have had X-8’s luck. Luck, or skill, or whatever combination of the two you’d need, in whatever the circumstances might have been… Paul went to the wireless office to call X-12, and it was a relief to hear Gimber’s voice over the wire, even though the tone of it was peevish.

‘I had Eaton on this thing only about twenty minutes ago!’

‘So, I’ve warmed the ball a bit… But you’re OK, are you?’

‘You might say so, at a pinch. Ozzie’s still out for the count.’

‘Oh, is he… Well, d’you want someone to…’

‘No, I don’t!’

Paul waited a moment. Then he tried again. ‘I was about to ask—’

‘I know, I’m sorry, I don’t want any bloody thing at all. Ozzie’ll soon snap out of it, and meanwhile we’re coping all right.’ There was some distant mumbling: Gimber talking aside to Towne, he guessed. Then the voice came back: ‘Trigger agrees, we’re all right as we are. Benzedrine’s the answer… Any news?’

There was no point telling him about X-8 and X-11. Paul said, ‘Nothing worth repeating. You’ll be up for a guff-through at two, right?’

‘If our luck holds out, we will.’

He certainly wasn’t his normal self. Perhaps one shouldn’t have expected it. Paul told him, ‘I’m turning in, now. Talk again later.’

‘Ha. Sleep tight. Pleasant dreams.’

‘In four days’ time, Louis, you’ll be doing the sleeping-tight routine.’

‘D’you ever dream about her, Paul?’

Hanging up, Gimber stared grimly at Towne. He muttered, ‘Four days…’



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