Reaching For The Stars

While they had been away, the backroom staff had been busy. On the door was a new nameplate showing all three of the men’s names with their new ranks. Their new uniforms were laid out neatly waiting for them and they quickly slipped into their new jackets to see the effect. Both Peter and Chris looked a lot better with two stars on each shoulder rather than just one. Bill looked a lot more distinguished with one star rather than his old gold ring. Maureen looked very chic in hers with its double looped gold rings and the half wing also in gold on her left breast.

“Peter, or should I say sir? What are these Pathfinders like”?

“Very nice. I had a look round one once when we were on Varianne. They’re not quite as big as the military Vanguard but big enough at almost two hundred feet in diameter. They have four main decks plus the flight deck, which is above in the centre. Our accommodation will be on the upper main deck with the students down one. Below that are stores and a mini hospital, while the bottom-deck caries a variety of vehicles, a couple of holding cells, and other support equipment including matter transporters. There’s a fully equipped laboratory next to the hospital unit and also a mini firing range down below. The main decks have a corridor which runs round the centre and all the various rooms come off these corridors. They have a central stairway which links all the decks and the flight deck is arranged round this stairwell”.

As Peter had been talking they had made their way down to the main foyer.

“Anyone want a lift back into town”? Peter asked, “I’ve got the car back and it`s downstairs”.

Everyone accepted and they all went down to the basement garage and got into the vehicle. This was built to carry eight passengers so there was plenty of room. The two girls got in the front with Peter while Chris and Bill slipped into the middle row of seats. Peter started the motor and the car moved silently up the ramp onto the road in the now cool evening air.

“How about taking a spin out into the country somewhere for a celebration meal”? Chris asked.

“Jolly good idea”, was the general murmur of consent from the others.

“I know a fantastic place on the edge of the New Forest”, Peter said, “not far beyond Salisbury”.

“Isn’t that rather a long way to go, love”, Maureen asked.

“No, not really. Now that we can go direct to Salisbury on the motorway it`s only about half an hours run”.

So with nods of agreement from the others their destination was settled. Peter increased the cars speed and on reaching the motorway proper he took their speed up to the legal maximum of 250 miles per hour. Some twenty minutes later they left the motorway at the Salisbury West junction of the Bournemouth motorway and took to the smaller roads and lanes of the New Forest. This area hadn’t changed much since the old days with many buildings still sporting the old thatched roofs, which gave the area so much of its character. The new thatch material was man made and was impervious to decay as the old straw had been, but still looked very picturesque. Most of the interiors of the buildings had been thoroughly modernised and had most of the modern appliances and comforts for living. The scenes passing by reminded them all of their own childhoods when things had been like this in many places before the landings had changed everything for the better. After about ten minutes of motoring through the quiet country lanes Peter turned the car through the gateway of what appeared to be a normal private residence, at which Maureen looked at Peter with a look of puzzlement and a question in her eyes.

“It`s an exquisite restaurant that specialises in home cooked cuisine, cooked the old fashioned way on old fashioned cookers and ovens. I think you’ll like it”.

They got out of the car and Peter led the way to the main door. He opened it and grinned at the others, as it was an old fashioned one with hinges. He held the door open and ushered them all inside as the landlady came along the passage from the kitchen.

“Hello Mrs Dumby, can you fix us up with a table tonight please? I’m sorry for not booking in advance but we only decided to come here at the last minute”.

“Hello Peter, yes I’m sure we can fit you in. It’s some time since we saw you down here isn’t it”?

“Yes, it`s about three years I should think. Probably the last time I came here was with Julie, that police girl from Salisbury division”.

“That sounds about right. You’ve come up in the world since then haven’t you? When did you get made up to Captain”?

“This afternoon. This is really a celebration meal as we all got made up together”.

“Congratulations everybody. I don’t know your names but no doubt Peter will fill me in later. Would you like to follow me”?

The landlady led them along the passage into a small lounge at the back of the building. She handed them a menu each and then went out, coming back a few moments later with a writing pad in her hand.

“Would you like some drinks while you decide”?

“Yes please”, Peter replied, “What would everyone like”?

“Port and lemon, please love”

“Same please, BBBB”!

“What the heck is that sis”? Peter asked in some puzzlement.

“Big bird brained brother”. Fiona replied with a mischievous grin.

“Cheeky critter! I’ll have to start using your old nickname from school if you don’t watch it. How about you Chris, Bill, what’s it to be”?

“Don’t you dare tell them my nickname”!! Fiona exclaimed with a blush.

“Whiskey for me please”. Chris replied.

“I’ll have cider please, sweet if possible”. Bill added

Mrs Dumby wrote their order down and hurried away to fetch their drinks as they all studied the menus.

“Peter, what was Fiona’s nickname at school”? Chris enquired, “You’ve got me intrigued now”.

“Knicker `lastic. Story was she never had any. I never did discover the reason for that”!

“You beast, you horrible beastly sparrow legged brother. I hate you”. Fiona cried as everyone rocked with laughter. Just then Mrs Dumby reappeared with their drinks, which she set down on the coffee table in front of their chairs.

“You didn’t say what you wanted Peter, so I bought your old favourite, Rum and Lime, was that okay”?

“Mrs Dumby, you’re an angel. One with a good memory as well”.

“Have you decided what you’d like to eat yet”?

“To be quite honest, I don’t know what half of these dishes are”, Chris confessed, “What would you recommend my good lady”?

“Ah, young man, it’s many a long year since I was called one of them”, Mrs Dumby said, with a laugh, “Anyway, I can recommend the Alabama ham. It’s one my George’s specialities”.

“I think I’ll rely on your judgement”. Chris replied.

“If it’s anything like I remember, I’ll have the same please”. Peter said.

“And I too, please, love”.

“Well, that’s three of you sorted out. How about you two”?

“How about you, Fiona? You having the same”? Bill asked, and when she nodded, he replied, “You’d better make that five then, please”.

“Okay, it’ll be about fifteen minutes”. Mrs Dumby replied, and then hurried away leaving them to finish their drinks.

About ten minutes later another younger woman appeared in the doorway.

“If you’d like some soup for starters, would you like to come through to the dining room now”?

Peter looked round at the others and when everyone nodded, they all got up and followed the young woman along the passage, through into the nicely furnished dining room. They were shown to a corner table which was pleasantly lit by a standard lamp and which cast a warm glow over the table. The room was pleasantly warm from a glowing log fire in the opposite corner, as even though it was late April the evenings still had slight chill about them.

“Lovely place isn’t it”. Chris remarked.

“I thought you’d like it; wait until you taste the food”.

Just then the soup arrived. It was thick creamy chicken, served in a large earthenware bowl. They were also given a very large crusty bread roll and a generous portion of butter.

They had just finished their soup when the main course arrived. It was served on large oval platters and smelled absolutely delicious. The ham, over half an inch thick covered over half of the platter. It had been cooked in a fruit sauce and was served with an extra spicy fruit and brandy sauce poured over it. To accompany it was new potatoes, smothered in butter, Brussels sprouts similarly treated, courgettes roasted in butter and onion sauce and sweet corn also with loads of butter.

They ate in silence until the meal was practically finished and then Mrs Dumby reappeared with her writing pad.

“I hope that was to your satisfaction, would you like desserts”?

“Mrs Dumby, that was exquisite, delicious and anything else you can think of. It was even better than I remembered. Do you still do that fabulous farmhouse dessert you used to do”?

“Yes, it’s still one of the favourite sweet dishes. Would you like some”?

“You bet I would, I can thoroughly recommend it to you all as well”.

The others all nodded and Mrs Dumby hurried away again. She was back again about five minutes later. The sweet was an apple pie with finely minced oranges in it as well as sultanas and a hint of nutmeg, with crisp golden brown pastry. Around the sides and on top were black cherries and small slices of banana; there was a coating of thick cherry and brandy sauce, the whole concoction being covered with a very generous helping of fresh cream.

“Peter that was absolutely delicious”, Maureen said as Mrs Dumby reappeared yet again.

“You know you said earlier, Peter that you all got promoted this afternoon, well, I told my George and he said to give you this as congratulation present”.