The Army Of Light (Kestrel Saga) by Stephen Fender Page B

takeoff. You’re slightly over your max weight.”
        
“I was thinking the same thing. By how much, exactly.”
        
There was an unnerving pause. “Oh, just a little more power on your ascent and
you’ll be fine.”
        
“You’re positive?”
        
There was a burst of static on the line before a response came back through.
“Sorry, Captain, you’re breaking up. Must be a faulty
transmitter. I’m going to have to sign off and fix this thing. See you
when you get back.”
        
Shawn swore that Trent was blowing air into the microphone. The captain looked
out of the window and saw Trent waving a hearty good bye. Shawn extended his
middle finger up to the view port, then rotated his
chair back to the controls, satisfied that he’d gotten in the last word.
Reaching up with his left hand, he gradually pushed the igniter lever. The two
impellors at the aft end of the ship began to spin faster and faster, their
soft blue glow turning brighter with each revolution. The Mark-IV started to
vibrate sluggishly with the rhythmic pulsations caused by the engines.
        
“A little more power,” Shawn said to himself. “Okay, if you say so.” He quickly
moved the throttles to their mid-position.
        
The sudden acceleration caused Melissa to be pulled into the back of her seat
as  Sylvia’s Delight  launched away from the pad. If she gripped
the hand rests any tighter she was sure they would be crushed. She looked out
of the small view port and saw ocean spray pelting the side of the craft as the
ship hovered only a few feet from the surface of the water. An image of being
eaten alive by a Minosian Goliath flashed across her mind. Her eyes darted to
the cockpit, and she watched as Shawn pulled back forcefully on the control
stick. For a split-second she felt the vessel glide upwards, but then it
slapped against the surface of the water and skipped off like a stone on a
pond. Something was definitely wrong.
        
With the internal stabilizers kicking in, she was finally able to lean forward
in her seat. “Mister Kestrel! I would very much like to take off
now!”
        
Shawn didn’t look back; he simply pulled as hard as he could on the control
stick. “Yeah lady? Me too!” He pealed one hand away from the stick and slid the throttle control to full
forward.
         Sylvia’s Delight  dashed into the air, as if the tension on a coiled
spring had suddenly been released. Melissa could feel the sinking of her
stomach as gravity tried to pull the ship—and her innards—back down. The
vessel’s shaking had lessened while the whine of the engines had gotten louder.
Melissa again looked out the window and saw the ocean and the island chain falling
slowly behind them. She turned to face the cockpit and was greeted with the
captain’s cheerful face smiling directly at her.
        
She released her grip on the sticky armrest and wiped her hands with a moist
napkin. “I hope you end this flight better than it’s begun.”
        
Beaming, he swiveled back to the forward view port just as the azure sky slowly
gave way to the unveiled stars beyond. Content to finally be back out amongst
the heavens, Shawn sighed lightly as he sank a little deeper into the immensely
comfortable pilot’s seat.
      

Chapter
5
        
 
        
The soothing vibrations produced by the ships engines, coupled with the steady
stream of pinpoint stars floating past the view port, threatened to put Melissa
into a deep slumber if she stared at them much longer. As her eyelids became
heavy, her thoughts drifted back to cherished memories of her father. She
thought of her childhood, and the precious few moments she felt they’d spent
together because of his military obligations. After all, there had been a war
going on, and she’d tried desperately not to blame him for having to go off and
fight.
        
Of course, Sector Command did it’s best to keep families close to one another
when they