and white flares of plasma danced across the moliplas windows as the space plane bit into the atmosphere. “Gs are building.”
“Roger that, AX-2. Everything looks nominal.” The reception broke up a little bit, side effect of the ionization the shuttle caused as it burned back into the atmosphere, then cleared up. “AX-2, prepare to deploy flight surfaces.”
“Standby,” Aaron replied. The outside mounted cameras showed the delta-wings begin to push out from the curved hull. The outside was now light blue instead of the dark of space, and tiny curls of white materialized off the sharp edges of the wing. “I’m getting response from the controls, leveling her descent.”
The plane altered its belly in approach and began to fly less like a brick. This was when it had all gone horribly wrong last time.
“Flight characteristics nominal,” the announcer told everyone. Minu gasped and took a gulping breath. She didn’t know how long she’d been holding her breath. Ted took one hand and Cherise the other. It helped.
“AX-2, initiate APT.”
“Atmospheric Performance Test is underway.” This was deemed a slight risk, considering the catastrophic failure of the AX-1 that had not been stressed in such a way. But it was also prudent, as the tests would further prove to potential customers the stability of this new space plane, and should the worst happen and a problem develop, the plane would be many miles up and with more chances to work through any malfunctions.
On the monitor the sky pitched from side to side then spun lazily as Aaron put the plane through its final paces. After a minute he announced his opinion. “We’ve got a slight deviation on the port outside aileron, but not more than five percent from nominal. The program is handling it fine.”
“Roger that, AX-2, we show it as well. Engineering says they believe it’s a sensor misreport from the feedback loop.”
“Okay, let’s get this thing on the ground,” Aaron came back, “I’m getting hungry.”
The room broke out in laughter, even Minu despite the tears running down her cheeks. She’d never been prouder of the brave man she’d married. With the plane on approach but working perfectly, most of the tension was let out of the situation.
Minu still sat on the edge of her seat as they could now see out the wide moliplas vista-window as the AX-2 swept in from the east, effected a wide graceful turn and lined up on the five kilometer long ceramic concrete field.
The field and hangers were the only part of Groves Industries still located in New Jerusalem. Aaron's father had bought the field back when it was a dirigible maintenance field beginning to go broke after the widespread introduction of the maglev lines that now crisscrossed the planet.
The smooth bottom of the AX-2, now streaked with carbon scoring from reentry into the atmosphere, split in three places and the landing gear smoothly extracted and locked in place. A minute later, three puffs of smoke announced the wheels’ contact with the ground as the plane rolled out and taxied towards the waiting maintenance vehicles. Not far away the small fleet of leased emergency vehicles sat, unused.
As soon as the AX-2 turned off the taxiway, the room broke out in first subdued, then much louder, applause and finally cheers. Minu wasn't there to hear it, she was already halfway down the stairs. As Aaron stepped down from the pilot’s ladder, a fifty-five kilo red haired missile crashed into him, almost knocking him back into the still smoking fuselage of the space plane.
Minu kissed him over and over, her face slick with tears. “You can stop crying now, baby, I'm fine.”
“That's why I'm crying,” she sobbed and wrapped both arms and legs around him.
He stood there holding her, the ground crew applauding as the press showed up to take some pics of a sentimental moment between the CEO of Groves Industries and his world famous wife.
* * *
Minu stayed in the back of
“Roger that, AX-2. Everything looks nominal.” The reception broke up a little bit, side effect of the ionization the shuttle caused as it burned back into the atmosphere, then cleared up. “AX-2, prepare to deploy flight surfaces.”
“Standby,” Aaron replied. The outside mounted cameras showed the delta-wings begin to push out from the curved hull. The outside was now light blue instead of the dark of space, and tiny curls of white materialized off the sharp edges of the wing. “I’m getting response from the controls, leveling her descent.”
The plane altered its belly in approach and began to fly less like a brick. This was when it had all gone horribly wrong last time.
“Flight characteristics nominal,” the announcer told everyone. Minu gasped and took a gulping breath. She didn’t know how long she’d been holding her breath. Ted took one hand and Cherise the other. It helped.
“AX-2, initiate APT.”
“Atmospheric Performance Test is underway.” This was deemed a slight risk, considering the catastrophic failure of the AX-1 that had not been stressed in such a way. But it was also prudent, as the tests would further prove to potential customers the stability of this new space plane, and should the worst happen and a problem develop, the plane would be many miles up and with more chances to work through any malfunctions.
On the monitor the sky pitched from side to side then spun lazily as Aaron put the plane through its final paces. After a minute he announced his opinion. “We’ve got a slight deviation on the port outside aileron, but not more than five percent from nominal. The program is handling it fine.”
“Roger that, AX-2, we show it as well. Engineering says they believe it’s a sensor misreport from the feedback loop.”
“Okay, let’s get this thing on the ground,” Aaron came back, “I’m getting hungry.”
The room broke out in laughter, even Minu despite the tears running down her cheeks. She’d never been prouder of the brave man she’d married. With the plane on approach but working perfectly, most of the tension was let out of the situation.
Minu still sat on the edge of her seat as they could now see out the wide moliplas vista-window as the AX-2 swept in from the east, effected a wide graceful turn and lined up on the five kilometer long ceramic concrete field.
The field and hangers were the only part of Groves Industries still located in New Jerusalem. Aaron's father had bought the field back when it was a dirigible maintenance field beginning to go broke after the widespread introduction of the maglev lines that now crisscrossed the planet.
The smooth bottom of the AX-2, now streaked with carbon scoring from reentry into the atmosphere, split in three places and the landing gear smoothly extracted and locked in place. A minute later, three puffs of smoke announced the wheels’ contact with the ground as the plane rolled out and taxied towards the waiting maintenance vehicles. Not far away the small fleet of leased emergency vehicles sat, unused.
As soon as the AX-2 turned off the taxiway, the room broke out in first subdued, then much louder, applause and finally cheers. Minu wasn't there to hear it, she was already halfway down the stairs. As Aaron stepped down from the pilot’s ladder, a fifty-five kilo red haired missile crashed into him, almost knocking him back into the still smoking fuselage of the space plane.
Minu kissed him over and over, her face slick with tears. “You can stop crying now, baby, I'm fine.”
“That's why I'm crying,” she sobbed and wrapped both arms and legs around him.
He stood there holding her, the ground crew applauding as the press showed up to take some pics of a sentimental moment between the CEO of Groves Industries and his world famous wife.
* * *
Minu stayed in the back of
Similar Books
