finished
smoothing the fabric down my arms, pulled up the hood, and sealed the front of
my suit so it would run its automatic self test sequence. The musty smell was a
lot stronger now I was inside. The test sequence ran through successfully, so
the air system was in perfect working order. According to the experts, that
meant it was totally impossible for there to be any noticeable smell. Either my
nose or the experts were wrong, and I knew which one I believed.
I set the front and
back of my suit to display my name, then headed for the landing area. Gradin
was already there, standing next to his survey plane. He had the hood of his fancy
official pilot’s impact suit up and the front sealed, so I couldn’t see the
expression on his face, but he was tapping one foot impatiently.
“Reception
called me to say you’d arrived ages ago, Jarra. I don’t expect you to suit up
in the Military standard time of two minutes, or even match the three minutes
it takes me, but maybe you could try and manage it in less than half an hour
next time.”
“I had to wait
while my suit requisition request was submitted and authorized,” I said. “Actually
putting on the suit only took five minutes.”
He made a
snorting sound. “That’s still ridiculously slow.”
I bit my lip to
stop myself making an angry reply. My history teacher always said it was more
important to put a suit on properly than quickly, because if the special
protective fabric was unevenly spread it could be hideously uncomfortable, but
I’d have to make sure I learnt to suit up faster. Not just as fast as Gradin,
but as fast as a Military pilot.
We both put on hover
tunics and climbed into the plane, then Gradin entered his pilot code into the
control panel and nodded to me. I entered my own pilot code for the first time
ever, and was thrilled to watch the plane control system interact with the
Earth data net, displaying my name and training status as it accepted me as
co-pilot.
Gradin tapped
his suit comms control and spoke on the broadcast channel that would be heard
by everyone working on New York Fringe Dig Site. “This is New York survey plane.
Requesting clearance to launch.”
“This is Fringe
Dig Site Command,” responded a voice. “New York survey plane, you are clear to
launch.”
“This is New
York survey plane,” said Gradin. “Pilot handing control to co-pilot for launch.”
Chaos take it, I’d
expected Gradin to give me control of the plane in midair, not throw me
straight into handling a take-off! What did I do now? Admit I’d deliberately
exaggerated my flying experience to him. Confess that I’d only ever done a
handful of take-offs and landings, and those were over a year ago?
I hesitated for
a moment. Gradin had followed flight protocols by informing Dig Site Command
that I had control of the plane. If I said I couldn’t do this, he’d have to
tell Dig Site Command he was keeping control after all, and he’d probably add
something sarcastic about me being clueless or scared. Hundreds of amateur
archaeologists working on New York Fringe would hear those words on broadcast
channel and laugh at me.
All right.
Gradin wanted me to do the take-off, so I’d do the nuking take-off! I took a
deep breath, hit the unlock switch for the co-pilot controls, and set my suit
comms to speak on broadcast channel.
“This is New
York survey plane co-pilot, Jarra Reeath. I have control.”
I heard a
different hum on my suit comms, which meant Gradin had opened a private channel
with me. I set my comms to speak on the private channel as well. We hardly
needed it now, because I could hear him perfectly well sitting next to me, but
it would be a help when our aircraft thrusters were on high.
“I’m keeping
pilot controls active,” said Gradin. “Those can override yours if necessary.”
Despite his
critical tone of voice, I found that reassuring and calmed down a little. I
used the hovers to lift the survey plane into the air, and slowly
smoothing the fabric down my arms, pulled up the hood, and sealed the front of
my suit so it would run its automatic self test sequence. The musty smell was a
lot stronger now I was inside. The test sequence ran through successfully, so
the air system was in perfect working order. According to the experts, that
meant it was totally impossible for there to be any noticeable smell. Either my
nose or the experts were wrong, and I knew which one I believed.
I set the front and
back of my suit to display my name, then headed for the landing area. Gradin
was already there, standing next to his survey plane. He had the hood of his fancy
official pilot’s impact suit up and the front sealed, so I couldn’t see the
expression on his face, but he was tapping one foot impatiently.
“Reception
called me to say you’d arrived ages ago, Jarra. I don’t expect you to suit up
in the Military standard time of two minutes, or even match the three minutes
it takes me, but maybe you could try and manage it in less than half an hour
next time.”
“I had to wait
while my suit requisition request was submitted and authorized,” I said. “Actually
putting on the suit only took five minutes.”
He made a
snorting sound. “That’s still ridiculously slow.”
I bit my lip to
stop myself making an angry reply. My history teacher always said it was more
important to put a suit on properly than quickly, because if the special
protective fabric was unevenly spread it could be hideously uncomfortable, but
I’d have to make sure I learnt to suit up faster. Not just as fast as Gradin,
but as fast as a Military pilot.
We both put on hover
tunics and climbed into the plane, then Gradin entered his pilot code into the
control panel and nodded to me. I entered my own pilot code for the first time
ever, and was thrilled to watch the plane control system interact with the
Earth data net, displaying my name and training status as it accepted me as
co-pilot.
Gradin tapped
his suit comms control and spoke on the broadcast channel that would be heard
by everyone working on New York Fringe Dig Site. “This is New York survey plane.
Requesting clearance to launch.”
“This is Fringe
Dig Site Command,” responded a voice. “New York survey plane, you are clear to
launch.”
“This is New
York survey plane,” said Gradin. “Pilot handing control to co-pilot for launch.”
Chaos take it, I’d
expected Gradin to give me control of the plane in midair, not throw me
straight into handling a take-off! What did I do now? Admit I’d deliberately
exaggerated my flying experience to him. Confess that I’d only ever done a
handful of take-offs and landings, and those were over a year ago?
I hesitated for
a moment. Gradin had followed flight protocols by informing Dig Site Command
that I had control of the plane. If I said I couldn’t do this, he’d have to
tell Dig Site Command he was keeping control after all, and he’d probably add
something sarcastic about me being clueless or scared. Hundreds of amateur
archaeologists working on New York Fringe would hear those words on broadcast
channel and laugh at me.
All right.
Gradin wanted me to do the take-off, so I’d do the nuking take-off! I took a
deep breath, hit the unlock switch for the co-pilot controls, and set my suit
comms to speak on broadcast channel.
“This is New
York survey plane co-pilot, Jarra Reeath. I have control.”
I heard a
different hum on my suit comms, which meant Gradin had opened a private channel
with me. I set my comms to speak on the private channel as well. We hardly
needed it now, because I could hear him perfectly well sitting next to me, but
it would be a help when our aircraft thrusters were on high.
“I’m keeping
pilot controls active,” said Gradin. “Those can override yours if necessary.”
Despite his
critical tone of voice, I found that reassuring and calmed down a little. I
used the hovers to lift the survey plane into the air, and slowly
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