4

 

 

BSES Restricted Training Centre 0900 Local, 4/12/2008

 

 

            “Two degrees, two degrees up!  I need the nose up!”  Squadron Leader Nunn said, agitated with the landing.

            “It’s stuck…..  No, wait….  0.8, 0.9, 1.2, 1.6, 2 degrees!  It’s fine now!”

            “We’re coming in now!  Prepare for landing!  4, 3, 2, NOW!!!!”

The whole crew was jolted violently as the “Egg”, named after the “Phoenix” as a “baby” version, landed on the red planet.  When the rough landing was over, the crew on the bridge checked their panels for discrepancies then accounted for themselves on the intercom.  Two voices were not accounted for.

            “When are Paul and Ross going to be in this simulation?”  Rini stated on the intercom.

            “They aren’t needed as they will be in the computer server room.  Pilot Officer Blake will be checking for faults and helping with queries that can’t be handled on the bridge, while Warrant Officer Robinson will be helping him with calculations.  Oh, and Flight Sergeant Gabra will be in the geographical planning room inputting chemical information from the atmosphere, all right?”  General Milsch stated on the intercom from outside of the simulator.

            “Roger that” Ryan answered.  “Let’s take it from the top one last time.  That should be enough as we have held one hundred percent completed landings for the last one-fifty landings.  No more tries are needed unless anyone is uncertain…?”

            There were definite disagreements to trying any more extra simulations.  They had all had quite enough.

 

 

            Paul Robinson walked through the training facility dodging fast walking military men and women.  Not having been to the computing simulations room before, Robinson was taking his time.  He was told to meet Pilot Officer Blake at 0930 and it was nearly twenty minutes to ten.

            Paul and Ross had been separated from the others during training recently as the training had moved from takeoff and flight to landing, and they were going to be separated from the rest of the crew during landing.  After training hours they sometimes saw each other, but they were given a lot of material to memorise and study and so they were frequently busy. 

            “Now what was that room number….”  Paul said to himself, “… ah, yes, here it is.”  Paul entered the room labelled Computing simulator.

            An unseen and weak light shadowed the room.  It took Warrant Officer Robinson the best part of ten seconds before his eyes readjusted to this new environment.  Suddenly, the room came into focus and Paul saw rows upon rows of computers and flashing lights.  From somewhere ahead music seemed to come out of nowhere.  Paul could not tell what it was, but it had a strong beat, most likely some rap or techno.

            “Ross?  Hello?  Are you there?”

            “Paul?  That you?  Over here” Ross spoke out from his desk.

            Paul walked over to the desk, which had been blocked from view.  Pilot Officer Blake was sitting at his desk typing at one of the three consoles at the desk.

            Without looking up Ross said “Pull up that extra chair over there.  Have you got a parcel for me?”

            Paul reached out and pulled the chair over.  After sitting down he handed a thick envelope to Ross.  The words “Top Secret:  For Pilot Officer Blake’s eyes only” were stencilled across in red.  Blake opened it and read the note attached to a booklet.

            “Paul, this is the information about what you’ll be doing during the landing.  It’s basically helping me to stop disasters before they happen!” Ross said, finally looking at Paul.

            “Right, lets get on with it.”

BSES Restricted Training Centre 1310 Local, 6/12/2008

 

            The three doctors stood in their white lab coats outside of a shiny metal door.  The feeling in the room was very antiseptic, very clean.  The two taller doctors were men, the first in his early fifties, the second was no older than twenty-six.  The third doctor was much shorter.  She stood a whole head and a half under the others.  The older doctor opened his mouth to speak, showing two gold-capped teeth.

            “This is your basic equipment that would be on the Phoenix.  Most of it is the latest high-tech stuff, compacted into the smallest possible sizes using electric wind cooling etcetera.  Any questions?”

            Lillian looked like she was about to climb Everest!  The look on her face was one of being faced with a huge but welcome challenge. 

            “I just need to read the manuals and get some practice with these computers and I should be right.  Have you got the manuals?”

            The younger doctor silently handed the heavy box to Flight Sergeant Gabra Fam.

            “We will leave you alone now.  Any questions, here is my pager number.  I can be reached anytime.  Goodbye Doctor Gabra Fam.”  The older doctor handed a piece of paper to Lillian, and then left, followed by the younger doctor.  Lillian started to read.

 

 

 

BSES Restricted Training Centre Barracks 2007 Local, 6/12/2008

 

            Anthony walked along the corridor, past Vicky’s room, then Ryan’s and then past his own.  He was heading to Pilot Officer Blake’s room.  Besides Robinson, Nunn and Gabra Fam, Blake hadn’t been very sociable with anyone.  Robinson and Nunn had been distant too, but not as much.  A lot had changed in the past years.

            Flight Sergeant Pino heard talking from inside Ross’s room but he still knocked.  Ryan Nunn answered the door.

            “Oh…. Hey Ant…  You want to speak to Ross?  I was just leaving anyway.”  Then to Ross, “See you later!”.

            Ross called out from the room “Right, Ryan, see you in two hours”.  Ryan left as Anthony walked in the room.  The door shut silently behind him.  Ross was typing something on his computer.

            “Hey Ross!”  Anthony said loudly.  Ross jumped into the air and fell on the floor, obviously in shock.  He quickly reached behind him and pulled out a large knife.  He realised that it was Anthony when he got to his feet, and replaced the knife.  Then he sat back down in his chair.

            “You scared the life out of me!  I bet Ryan let you in…  I’ll have to get him back tonight.  What’s the day tomorrow?”  Ross said while typing.

            “It’s Sunday.  We have the day off…  Didn’t anyone tell you?”  Anthony said with a shocked look on his face.

            “Paul probably did, I’ve been really busy this last week.”

            Ant looked at the screen, and after realising he had no idea what was happening on it he once again turned to Blake.

            “Ross…  I wanted to talk to you.  You’ve been sort of quiet recently.”  Anthony looked at Ross seriously.

            “What do you mean?”

            “You haven’t said more than ten words to me since we’ve been on this course.  Same for Sam and Rini.  And what about Vicky?  You haven’t been talking to her either!  How could you not talk to Vicky!”  Anthony obviously wanted some answers.

            “Look I’ve been busy.  I’m sorry, but I haven’t been feeling all that sociable.”

            “Look, Ross, I know we all separated, but that happens…  People change and grow apart!  Now we are back together as a team, and we need to BE a team!” said Pino.

            “Oh!  You think I am mad at you guys or something?  Ha!”  Ross laughed.  He turned to look at Ant directly in the eyes.  “I am not trying to be antisocial, I am a very busy person.  I have problems here that you would not understand.  Anyway, you guys have different agendas and we have grown apart.  Look I’ll make an effort now, OK?  Do you mind leaving now?  I have a load to do!”

            Ant smiled, having achieved what he wanted, turned and left without saying anything.  Ross wouldn’t have noticed even if he had.  He had a lot of work to do.