time.”
“Yes sir, I agree. Shall I run background checks on these seven?”
“You read my mind, Lieutenant. Start with the ones with the most extensive injuries. In the mean time, I’m going down to the Hunter’s storage bay and have a talk with Braxton and the others before they leave on their mission. I want to personally make sure they understand the goals of this reconnaissance.”
Lieutenant Thrumbold looked up at the colonel, “You know the pilots all call the ship the ‘Hurling Hunter’. We scheduled civilians for this trip who have never experienced the flight characteristics of a Hunter Recon. I recommend we warn Braxton about that, tell him if he doesn’t take it easy and fly smooth then he’s gonna be the one to clean up the puke. That’ll get his attention.”
“Uh … yeah, Alex. I’ll bet it will at that. You know where to find me.”
Any excuse to get out of the office is a good one. The colonel mused as he stood and shut down his computer.
Drake stepped out and into the corridor and started towards the ladder shaft. His office was located just one level up from the Hunter’s bay and that was okay with him. Navy personnel and the science team were pretty much on the upper levels. Down here, the marines and workers wouldn’t bother him with dumb questions.
The entry to the bay was around a corner from the bottom of the ladder and it took up most of the lowest deck. A set of airlocks restricted entry.
Two medium tracked transports sat bundled in a corner across the room. It also held two sleek Hunter Recon’s, one of which the deck crew had already moved into the airlock in preparation for departure.
Lieutenant Braxton Johnson, a marine aviator with close-cropped black hair towered above most people partly because of his height but mostly because of his extremely broad shoulders. He was not the kind of guy who would easily fit into a fighter but the Hunter Recon suited him. The Colonel had watched this young puppy; he could drive it hard and tight as though it were a fighter.
The ISA designed the Hunter Recon as a reconnaissance transport capable of moving people, equipment and even a heavy tracked vehicle with equal ease. It was the second generation to incorporate the Wave Drive and its sleek curves didn’t follow those of a conventional transport for the versatile craft was the smallest vehicle capable of achieving near lightspeed velocity. The reactionless drive of the Hunter Recon made it an extremely maneuverable craft, even when fully loaded.
A tall, young blond girl in dark blue BDUs was talking to the pilot and three other crewmen on the deck. Drake didn’t recognize her. Then, upon hearing his footsteps, they turned and recognition came.
“Well Dr. Shieve. Don’t tell me the captain shanghaied you into going along on this trip.” Drake bellowed as he strode across the deck.
“Hi, Colonel.” Sandra replied. “Yes, isn’t it exciting? I really thought he didn’t like me.”
“What? What in the world made you think? Oh, never mind. You handled yourself well in the meeting. You seem to be the only one who knows what to expect. Most importantly, Lieutenant Anderson tells me you know where we will be able to find the ore deposits. Find us the best spot for repairs but listen to these two guys particularly if they object to something you are doing.
“Lieutenant Braxton and Ensign Petrika you’re responsible for picking a defensible position from the sites selected by Dr. Shieve. I don’t care how good the site looks, safety comes first. Do your job properly and we all just might come out of this alive.”
Colonel Drake could see realization coming across Sandra’s face. This is more than an academic field exercise and, for the first time in her life, the lives of others depended upon her. Sandra started feeling a bit nervous and indecisive until Lieutenant Braxton broke the spell.
“Aw, Colonel.” Braxton greeted his superior officer. “Alex already read me
“Yes sir, I agree. Shall I run background checks on these seven?”
“You read my mind, Lieutenant. Start with the ones with the most extensive injuries. In the mean time, I’m going down to the Hunter’s storage bay and have a talk with Braxton and the others before they leave on their mission. I want to personally make sure they understand the goals of this reconnaissance.”
Lieutenant Thrumbold looked up at the colonel, “You know the pilots all call the ship the ‘Hurling Hunter’. We scheduled civilians for this trip who have never experienced the flight characteristics of a Hunter Recon. I recommend we warn Braxton about that, tell him if he doesn’t take it easy and fly smooth then he’s gonna be the one to clean up the puke. That’ll get his attention.”
“Uh … yeah, Alex. I’ll bet it will at that. You know where to find me.”
Any excuse to get out of the office is a good one. The colonel mused as he stood and shut down his computer.
Drake stepped out and into the corridor and started towards the ladder shaft. His office was located just one level up from the Hunter’s bay and that was okay with him. Navy personnel and the science team were pretty much on the upper levels. Down here, the marines and workers wouldn’t bother him with dumb questions.
The entry to the bay was around a corner from the bottom of the ladder and it took up most of the lowest deck. A set of airlocks restricted entry.
Two medium tracked transports sat bundled in a corner across the room. It also held two sleek Hunter Recon’s, one of which the deck crew had already moved into the airlock in preparation for departure.
Lieutenant Braxton Johnson, a marine aviator with close-cropped black hair towered above most people partly because of his height but mostly because of his extremely broad shoulders. He was not the kind of guy who would easily fit into a fighter but the Hunter Recon suited him. The Colonel had watched this young puppy; he could drive it hard and tight as though it were a fighter.
The ISA designed the Hunter Recon as a reconnaissance transport capable of moving people, equipment and even a heavy tracked vehicle with equal ease. It was the second generation to incorporate the Wave Drive and its sleek curves didn’t follow those of a conventional transport for the versatile craft was the smallest vehicle capable of achieving near lightspeed velocity. The reactionless drive of the Hunter Recon made it an extremely maneuverable craft, even when fully loaded.
A tall, young blond girl in dark blue BDUs was talking to the pilot and three other crewmen on the deck. Drake didn’t recognize her. Then, upon hearing his footsteps, they turned and recognition came.
“Well Dr. Shieve. Don’t tell me the captain shanghaied you into going along on this trip.” Drake bellowed as he strode across the deck.
“Hi, Colonel.” Sandra replied. “Yes, isn’t it exciting? I really thought he didn’t like me.”
“What? What in the world made you think? Oh, never mind. You handled yourself well in the meeting. You seem to be the only one who knows what to expect. Most importantly, Lieutenant Anderson tells me you know where we will be able to find the ore deposits. Find us the best spot for repairs but listen to these two guys particularly if they object to something you are doing.
“Lieutenant Braxton and Ensign Petrika you’re responsible for picking a defensible position from the sites selected by Dr. Shieve. I don’t care how good the site looks, safety comes first. Do your job properly and we all just might come out of this alive.”
Colonel Drake could see realization coming across Sandra’s face. This is more than an academic field exercise and, for the first time in her life, the lives of others depended upon her. Sandra started feeling a bit nervous and indecisive until Lieutenant Braxton broke the spell.
“Aw, Colonel.” Braxton greeted his superior officer. “Alex already read me
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