THE MAN FROM THE MINISTRY
The assignment had come up totally out of the blue. Usually, a normal day's work involved lot of pen pushing for most of the time, with the welcome promise of a spot of lunch once a week at the Golf Club. But today was different. As he sat back in the chauffeur driven limousine provided for him, he could still recall the Minister's words . . .
*****
"Ah, come in, Geoffrey. Won't you sit down?"
"Thank you, Minister." What could this be about? Involuntarily he shifted uneasily in the chair.
"How long have you been with us now?"
He was immediately on the defensive. Such a question was normally the prelude to a transfer, or worse. "Twenty years, Minister".
"That long?" The Minister seemed genuinely surprised. "And how do you feel about your job?"
"Ah, well . . . "
"A bit too routine?" the Minister prompted. "Looking for something to break the monotony?"
"I have been thinking along those lines", he admitted. "Not that I'm unhappy in my work, you understand," he added, perhaps a little too hastily.
The Minister appeared not to have noticed. "I may have just the thing for you".
"Really?"
"Mmm. Head Office feels too much money is being spent on the armed forces. I'd like you to help in a Government inspection covering all branches".
"Oh." He was immediately crestfallen, knowing exactly what was required of such an inspection; check the personnel records, make sure everyone's happy, that sort of thing. Still, it would mean a couple of days away from the office, breaking the routine. So he couldn't really complain. He looked up at the Minister, who had clearly expected more of a response. "Which branch of the forces have I been allocated, Minister? The army? The RAF?"
The Minister shook his head. "Have you heard of UNIT?"
His eyes lit up. So this was why the Minister had asked for him - personally. Aware that he was coming up for retirement age, he would probably receive a gold watch or something similar for his long service to Queen and country. But to have the chance to inspect UNIT. That would be a real feather in his cap. Something to tell his grandchildren - if the Official Secrets Act allowed it, of course.
His mind was racing as the Minister continued. "You'll be liasing with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, naturally."
"Yes, Minister," he managed to reply. At last this was his chance to show what he was really capable of. Of course, the Minister's concern over allocation of Government funds was just a cover, he'd seen through that immediately. And he'd had his own suspicions about UNIT's scientific advisor, a Doctor John Smith. An obvious subterfuge, and one that he would investigate thoroughly. And that was just the beginning.
Through his reverie he became aware of the Minister shaking his hand. "I know you'll do a good job."
He smiled confidently. "You can rely on me, Minister."
*****
. . . It was all so obvious now. Clearly there was some concern over UNIT's recent activities, and he had been selected to root out any trouble. Not that it had been said in so many words, but he felt he was the kind of man to read between the lines and appreciate the gravity of the situation.
The limousine pulled up at the bar gate. As the duty officer made his way toward the car, he wound down the window to address him. "You can tell your precious Brigadier that I've arrived".
"Sir?"
Clearly the man was an idiot. "I'm from the Ministry. Here to undertake an inspection of UNIT!"
The officer nodded. "Yes sir. And the name?"
He sat back in the limousine, knowing this was his moment. "Chinn. Geoffrey Chinn."
The assignment had come up totally out of the blue. Usually, a normal day's work involved lot of pen pushing for most of the time, with the welcome promise of a spot of lunch once a week at the Golf Club. But today was different. As he sat back in the chauffeur driven limousine provided for him, he could still recall the Minister's words . . .
*****
"Ah, come in, Geoffrey. Won't you sit down?"
"Thank you, Minister." What could this be about? Involuntarily he shifted uneasily in the chair.
"How long have you been with us now?"
He was immediately on the defensive. Such a question was normally the prelude to a transfer, or worse. "Twenty years, Minister".
"That long?" The Minister seemed genuinely surprised. "And how do you feel about your job?"
"Ah, well . . . "
"A bit too routine?" the Minister prompted. "Looking for something to break the monotony?"
"I have been thinking along those lines", he admitted. "Not that I'm unhappy in my work, you understand," he added, perhaps a little too hastily.
The Minister appeared not to have noticed. "I may have just the thing for you".
"Really?"
"Mmm. Head Office feels too much money is being spent on the armed forces. I'd like you to help in a Government inspection covering all branches".
"Oh." He was immediately crestfallen, knowing exactly what was required of such an inspection; check the personnel records, make sure everyone's happy, that sort of thing. Still, it would mean a couple of days away from the office, breaking the routine. So he couldn't really complain. He looked up at the Minister, who had clearly expected more of a response. "Which branch of the forces have I been allocated, Minister? The army? The RAF?"
The Minister shook his head. "Have you heard of UNIT?"
His eyes lit up. So this was why the Minister had asked for him - personally. Aware that he was coming up for retirement age, he would probably receive a gold watch or something similar for his long service to Queen and country. But to have the chance to inspect UNIT. That would be a real feather in his cap. Something to tell his grandchildren - if the Official Secrets Act allowed it, of course.
His mind was racing as the Minister continued. "You'll be liasing with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, naturally."
"Yes, Minister," he managed to reply. At last this was his chance to show what he was really capable of. Of course, the Minister's concern over allocation of Government funds was just a cover, he'd seen through that immediately. And he'd had his own suspicions about UNIT's scientific advisor, a Doctor John Smith. An obvious subterfuge, and one that he would investigate thoroughly. And that was just the beginning.
Through his reverie he became aware of the Minister shaking his hand. "I know you'll do a good job."
He smiled confidently. "You can rely on me, Minister."
*****
. . . It was all so obvious now. Clearly there was some concern over UNIT's recent activities, and he had been selected to root out any trouble. Not that it had been said in so many words, but he felt he was the kind of man to read between the lines and appreciate the gravity of the situation.
The limousine pulled up at the bar gate. As the duty officer made his way toward the car, he wound down the window to address him. "You can tell your precious Brigadier that I've arrived".
"Sir?"
Clearly the man was an idiot. "I'm from the Ministry. Here to undertake an inspection of UNIT!"
The officer nodded. "Yes sir. And the name?"
He sat back in the limousine, knowing this was his moment. "Chinn. Geoffrey Chinn."