Stars Fell on Trieste

by M. Alan Marr

  “We had to come to New Zealand for that?”

  “Absolutely.” Chaz laughs. “But after breakfast, let’s go down to the beach and explore.”

  ***

  Jet lag had Chaz awake at four in the morning, local time. Dev wakes to the smell of the aforementioned pancakes and bacon, and joins Chaz in the kitchen for a very early morning breakfast. Coffee on the deck and a beautiful sunrise only solidified Chaz’s resolve to buy this house.

  Just after sunrise, they take a long morning walk on the beach. About a mile away from the house, Chaz and Dev encounter a young Jack Russell terrier running full bore on a leash without an owner. The dog runs up to Chaz, who kneels down to greet him. It takes only seconds for the dog to jump into Chaz’s lap and start licking his face.

  “Oh, hello!” Chaz says, cuddling the dog. “What’s your name? Where are your parents?”

  A man comes running from around a bend, and slows down upon seeing Chaz and Dev with the dog. He waves. Dev waves back. The winded man doubles over to catch his breath.

  “There’s your daddy,” Chaz says to the dog. He takes the leash and begins walking with Dev toward the winded owner. The little dog happily wags his tail as he trots along with the boys, toward the other man.

  “Lose someone?” Chaz calls warmly as they get into earshot.

  “Crikey, that pup’s like to give me a heart attack.” Chaz hands the man the leash. “Thanks, mate.”

  “He’s adorable. What’s his name?”

  “Killer.” The man’s heavy accent made it sound like Keey-la

  Chaz and Dev laugh that the cute, rambunctious puppy is named Killer.

  “I’m Chaz, this is Dev.”

  “Adam. Nice to meet you. Pup’s got loads of energy,” Adam says, still catching his breath. “He went after a gull and slipped the leash. I’ve been chasing him down for miles.”

  Dev and Chaz continue chatting with the local. Adam is an Aussie who moved to N-Zed a couple of years earlier. The conversation turns to the rental house. Chaz and Dev learn the homeowner is a banker-type whose work required a permanent move to London. The house itself is very expensive, but with the land, prohibitively so, and the owner didn’t want to divvy up the property. So, in the meantime, Adam tells them, the owner rents it out. The house was finished about a year ago and sat vacant for six months. The puppy’s owners live down the beach a couple miles away. So far, Adam tells them, they are the first renters he’s seen here, probably owing to the expense. Chaz mentions he’s thinking about buying the place. Adam gives them a rundown of the area, that it’s usually pretty quiet. He also comments that it would be nice to have some hip neighbors.

  Chaz and Dev eventually bid farewell to Adam and Killer, who has already found a new bird to chase and jerks about his leash.

  Dev smiles. “What a cute pup.”

  “At some point, I’d like to settle down and have a dog and a couple of cats.”

  “That would be nice.” Dev smiles at the prospect. “At least we know the neighbors are cool.”

  Chaz takes out his Ti-Phone and calls his AMEX concierge.

  “Good morning, Mr. Ronaldi, how can I help you?”

  “Good morning. The house we’re renting in New Zealand? I understand it’s for sale. I want to buy it.” Chaz listens for a minute or so. “Yes, this number. Thanks.” He hangs up and looks at Dev. “A representative for the property will contact us today.”

  Four days of blissful normalcy away from the world of the wealthy. Well, kind of. Chaz put in motion everything he needs to buy the house, but at least they were doing their own dishes. But it is time to return to the business at hand. Likewise, the crew returns to the aircraft fully recharged and raring to go, continuing the journey.

  ***

  The next few months are busy for all parties. The Oasis 767 barely ever sits idle. The flight plans take them to all four corners of the globe, both domestic and international. A working routine of sorts evolved into returning to Atlanta when Chaz had to fly a Triad trip. All in all, the crew has forged an excellent working relationship with one another, and everyone gets along well with each other. At the beginning of the month, Steve promotes Harrison to relief captain. Before presenting him with a set of four-stripe captain epaulets, Steve briefs Harrison on the confidential policy of having a flight plan to Atlanta always at the ready. Always.

  Oasis now has two captains and two first officers. Steve remains chief pilot and in overall command of the operation, but Harrison’s experience flying heavy jets in the international arena earned him the extra qualification. Steve and Harrison fly left seat. Jen and Matt fly right seat. Steve and Harrison do occasionally opt to fly together, despite the newly established protocol. But in that situation, Steve always occupies the left seat as a privilege of rank. Every flight has been an ongoing team-building exercise for the pilots and crew of Oasis.

  Jen still comments about the whimsical nature of their flight plans, although usually not within earshot of Steve.

  Harrison has evolved into sort of a big brother figure to Matt, even though they are the same age. They’ve become good friends on an honest and real level that Matt has never really known before. Here is Harrison, almost as tall as Chaz, and about two hundred pounds of rugged outdoorsy muscle. Harrison thinks of himself as a big, dumb jock. Matt disagrees, more accurately describing Harrison as more of an indoor lumberjack. Then there’s Matt, Harrison’s polar opposite: skinny, effeminate, and weak.

  It was during the layover in Mexico City that a local began harassing Matt. The gym-built Harrison got right in the guy’s face and promptly asked what the problem was. Turns out there wasn’t one after that. Matt had never seen anyone come to his defense like that before. That was when Matt, an only child, realized what it must be like having a big brother.

  Matt still takes his vitamin whenever his iPhone alarm sounds. Jen has a feeling the vitamins are actually medication that has to be taken at very specific intervals. Matt realizes Jen has figured this out, but hasn’t elaborated on the subject, and she respects his privacy. Matt feels genuinely loved by this crew. This crew, in turn, is a more cohesive family to Matt than his own ever was.

  And then there is Jen. Matt and Jen have more of a sisterly relationship. One, an affected delicate girly-girl, the other a sardonic and caustic woman. But Jen has a good heart, she is a gifted aviator, and is as integral to this crew as anyone.

  The secretive meetings in the aircraft boardroom between Dev, Chaz, and Steve become more frequent as well.

  The purchase of the Texas cow patch was completed. The attorneys reported the previous owners laughed out loud and happily signed over the ‘worthless’ mineral rights. The remaining cattle were sold off, leaving five thousand acres of dusty, vacant ranch land. Chaz now owns a very large piece of dirt atop a very vast, untapped cache of oil.

  Chaz manages to fly at least one work trip each month, while still maintaining the heavy research schedule on Oasis. But despite the extensive series of flights, the quest to find a base is yielding disappointing results. And, with the exception of Chaz’s New Zealand house and the Texas ranch, they are still homeless, so to speak.

  During a very uncommon week of downtime in Atlanta, Steve took on a new skill set officially learning to fly the De Havilland Beaver floatplane. The certification training only highlighted how reckless and dangerous Steve’s first unplanned flight in the Beaver really was. Desperate times, Steve reminded himself. But his check ride was a success, and Steve was now legally able to fly and land the Beaver—though technically not at night—on water.

  A mechanical problem with the 767’s Auxiliary Power Unit causes a lengthy ground delay during a flight out of Tahiti. Among providing electrical power and air conditioning on the ground, (and backup power in the air) the APU is also the pneumatic source for starting the aircraft’s engines. The everyday traveler may not realize it, but those giant engines do not simply start by the flip of a switch. Starting is a complex, multi-level operation
where pneumatic air is routed from the APU into the engine, initially spinning internal turbines to a certain percentage before fuel is introduced and ignited. That ignition causes the turbines to accelerate quickly. Starter cutout occurs as the engines reach a self-sustaining level, just prior to reaching idle power. Only at this point are the engines fully started. It is a delicate balance between speed, pressure, fuel, temperature, and time.

  But like most everything on large jets, there are either backup systems, or alternatives. In this case of the inoperative APU, the engines are started by using a ground air unit called a huffer. Once starting one engine with the huffer, a cross-bleed start on the second engine is done by routing start pressure from the running engine to start the other. The huffer, however, does nothing for the air-conditioning system inside the aircraft. Cabin temperatures were unbearably hot until both engines were fully up and running.

  Chaz and Dev decide to solve this problem immediately by flying directly to Everett, Washington, where a new APU will be installed. Chaz and Steve both understand that maintenance issues crop up from time to time, so there is no bad blood here. However, due to

  the newness of the aircraft, a replacement APU is offered at a substantial discount. Dev avoided the call and diverted to the Owner’s Suite to update the Crown on their progress (or lack thereof).

  A few weeks earlier, Franz met with Steve to discuss the possibility of having a washer/dryer installed in the crew deck. Steve conferred with Chaz on the matter, and Franz’s request was approved. The video conference covers both subjects.

  The APU and the additional work will take several days of downtime. The Boeing VP also happily informs Chaz that the new terrazzo mosaic Dev had ordered for the aft foyer floor has arrived and can be installed during the maintenance visit.

  Chaz enters the Owner’s Suite and casually mentions the maintenance work will take about a week. But before Dev can object, Chaz mentions the new foyer floor and all is right with the world. At least, outwardly.

  “I thought that might ease your tensions about being grounded for a week.”

  “Well, yeah,” Dev says, “but I’m still not thrilled about it. I just sent a report to the Flight Admiral detailing our continued poor results. I had to emphasize that Earth is a densely populated world and that the selection of a base site goes beyond just choosing an isolated spot. You can’t just show up in a quiet area and hope no one notices a squadron of Crown fighters.”

  “Are you worried the Admiral will pull the plug?”

  “No. I’m just starting to feel like we’re running behind.”

  “Dev, we’re doing what we need to do.”

  “I’m just a little frustrated because every place we’ve looked at is wrong.”

  “Listen, we’re only going to be down for a week. Then it’s back to work.”

  “Okay.”

  “And despite your outward appearance of calm, I know you’re starting to stress out over this.”

  “Am I?”

  “Yes, you are. So after we land, you and I are going for a drive. You need to take a break.”

  “Is that an order?”

  “Yes.” Chaz smiles. “It is.”

  “I’m pretty sure I outrank you.”

  Chaz recalls something Dev said to him on Trieste. “Hmm, let me think . . . when a Lieutenant Commander is traveling with a Commander, it falls to me, the junior, to make the interdiction on your behalf.”

  “Okay, okay.”

  “Let’s use some of the downtime to work out a better search model. We’ve been at this for months with no results, so let’s figure out a way to improve our chances.”

  After landing in Everett, Chaz and Dev rent a car and drive farther north to Snoqualmie Falls to a hotel perched near majestic waterfalls for some quiet time in the beautiful Washington wilderness. Steve stays behind to coordinate with the maintenance team. The rest of the Oasis crew head into the city, where they are finally able to enjoy Seattle, taking in all the sights and culture they missed while they were busy training.

  Steve spends his days at the Boeing facility while the work is underway. It is important for him to be on hand. He does hold an aircraft mechanic’s license, so he has a qualified interest in all the work being done.

  Two days after arrival, Steve calls Dev to ask if he wants to inspect the floor work in the aft foyer. Dev absolutely wants to see the finished mosaic, so he and Chaz drive down to Everett.

  Steve, in civilian clothes, hardhat, and visiting crew ID, meets Dev and Chaz outside and escorts them into the hangar where all the work is being done. A scaffolding near the tail section has technicians working on open panels, off-loading the faulty APU. Air hoses and power cables are hooked up to the aircraft in multiple locations. The boarding stairs is an industrial zigzag metal scaffold as utilitarian as you can get. The cargo door is open, and several hoses and electrical cords run into the lower deck area.

  Entering the aircraft, the interior is barely recognizable. Plastic tarps are draped over all furniture and fixtures and the entire upper galley. Thick paper and plastic sheeting covers the floors to protect the carpeting. People can be heard down in the crew deck working, as well as the sounds of impact wrenches and ratchets. Steve leads Dev and Chaz to the aft foyer to inspect the new floor work. Every inch of the interior is shrouded and covered in plastic; all windows, the boardroom glass wall, the doors to the staterooms and lavatories, the credenzas in the aft foyer, as well as the doors to the Owner’s Suite. The only truly exposed area is the circular floor of the aft foyer, gleaming now with a new terrazzo mosaic in shades of blue and black and dotted with quartz to look like a vivid star-filled night. The original inlaid gold compass rose still resides at its center, but instead of the original world map, the new design is a beautiful reproduction of an ancient Tertian star chart provided by Dev. The mosaic is complete with a highly detailed nebular cloud winding through the upper third of the circle. Constellations representing the Crown, Hercules, Cygnus, Lyra, Eridanus, Triangulum, and of course, Oasis, are positioned around the map appropriately. None of the constellations are labeled, but Dev knows them all by heart.

  “Wow,” Chaz marvels, “that’s beautiful.”

  “Is this really how it looks?” Steve says, referring to the constellations.

  “These are their general positions,” Dev replies, very pleased with the work. He crouches down and runs his hand over the smooth, clean, even surface of the stars of the Crown.

  Chaz points to the winding nebular cloud. “From Trieste that nebula is much more brilliant in the night sky than what you can see from . . . Atlanta.”

  Steve smiles at Chaz’s subterfuge. “I can’t wait to see it.”

  “Stunning,” Dev says. “Beautiful work.”

  “I can tell them you approve?” Steve says.

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’m sorry to drag you down here, but I just wanted to make sure this was what you wanted.”

  Dev stands up but is still staring at the stars in the floor. “Tell them it’s perfect,” Dev says.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Chaz looks at Steve. “Where are we as far as a departure schedule?”

  “The new APU will be installed today. The work in the crew deck will take a couple more days. But I think we should be good to depart on schedule. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

  “Sounds good,” Chaz says, and adds, “Make sure you take some downtime, Steve.”

  Steve shakes his head. “Can’t do it, Chaz. Not this trip. Way too much going on here.”

  “Well, can’t argue with that,” Chaz says. “We’ll make it up to you.”

  “You do enough for me already,” Steve says. “I’ll take care of everything here. Go enjoy yourselves. Captain’s orders.”

  “Aye, aye,” Chaz replies. “We’ll see you at the end of the week.”

  ***

  The Oasis 767 departs Seattle three days later with a brand-new APU, new aft foyer mosaic, and a new washer/
dryer unit in the closet next to the crew deck lavatory. The unit taps into the existing aircraft plumbing, and the dryer exhaust is vented through a canister filtration unit in the electronics and equipment bay, then through the overboard exhaust valve. The crew quickly discovers that whenever the dryer is used in flight, the flight deck smells like Bounce.

  The next few weeks are a geographic odyssey around the globe even more unusual than ever before. The destinations are all over the map, literally. India for curry, Argentina for steaks, South Korea for bibimbap, Brazil for rodizio, and Paris for the best pamplemousse rose ice cream you have ever tasted. Oasis finally even made it to London to visit Chaz’s favorite SoHo pub for hard cider. A visit to Rome led the entire crew, and aircraft owners, to Milo’s family restaurant, Magnifico.

  And the routing of the flights make no sense whatsoever. Certainly, as Jen pointed out in her own calm, collected way, there are more efficient ways to flight plan a busy schedule, rather than ricocheting around the continents. However, as Steve pointed out to her, gently, the whims of the wealthy change with the wind. And if you happen to have your own 767, why not take the long way around everywhere you go?

  ***

  Steve and Matt are currently flying the leg home to Atlanta. Harrison and Jen are in the crew deck. The interphone chimes once.

  “Uh-oh,” Matt says, “it’s the bat phone.”

  Steve picks up the receiver. “Yes, sir?”

  Chaz is calling to ask Steve to come to the Oasis boardroom.

  “Right away.” Steve, with the receiver still in hand, selects the button for the crew deck.

  A minute or two later, Harrison arrives in the flight deck to take Steve’s place.

  “The Relief Captain is here.”

  “I’m sorry, Harr, the boys called and want to see me in the boardroom. I’m not sure how long this will take.”

  “No worries, Boss, take your time. Mattsy and I got this.”

  “Thanks, Harr.” Steve leaves the cockpit, but stops in his quarters to straighten his tie and make sure his shirt is properly tucked in before heading to the boardroom.