By whose orders?' I demanded.

' Commander-in-Chief's, sir. No one allowed to see the body. As a serving officer..

I must have raised my voice, for several of the diners turned. ` Take me to Loch Vennachar.'

The sub-lieutenant had obviously been chosen for the job. `

Sorry, sir, no civilians allowed aboard missile cruisers. Security and all that.'

` Civilian!' I exploded. I'm no bloody civilian, man-. I' m a reserve captain in the Royal Navy! Ask! Ask!'

He was cool and sure of himself. ' Ask-who, sir? Perhaps we could discuss this… ah… away from…' he gestured at the staring diners. He led the way outside. I demanded again to see Peace's body, the C-in-C, the Senior Naval Officer ashore. The most I could wring out of the young sublieutenant-whom I heartily detested by now-was that he would try and establish my bona fides.

I walked down to the pierhead. I do not know how long I stood and stared at the lights of the fleet. He could not end like this, I told myself over and over-not Geoffrey Peace. I had to talk to someone. I spent the next few hours looking for MacFadden among the pubs and joints. There was no sign of him. I tried to telephone the SNO, but the naval exchange was adamant. For the next two days I fretted and fumed. Then the sub-lieutenant came to the hotel and reported that Bellatrix was back in port. I could go aboard, I was informed politely, but must not leave harbour. I tried again to find MacFadden, but he must have holed up somewhere. 12

If, however; the body of Peace was being concealed, the news of his death was not. The morning after his death, the BBC gave it a high place in its early bulletins. The evening newscast contained a tribute from the Prime Minister to

Peace's part in the development of the SNAP motor and his mission to the United States.

Other bulletins stated that Peace would be buried at sea with full naval honours by the Limuria squadron and the u.s.