“Meiling, I need this girder lifted very slowly and carefully because there’s something grey underneath. I can’t tell what it is, but the girder has been protecting it from being crushed for centuries, so we don’t want to flatten it now.”
Milo had taken my place, was doing my job, and it sounded as if he was doing it well. I pulled a face as I heard the cheer that meant the mysterious grey thing had been safely recovered, and then set my comms to speak on team circuit.
“This is Jarra. I’m going to be giving Wren some more impact suit training now. Which comms channel should we be using?”
“That’s good news.” Crozier’s voice sounded relieved. “Milo is using the main team circuit for his dig team, Isla is on channel 1, and Taariq on channel 2. You can use channel 3 for your training sessions, Jarra.”
“Swapping to channel 3 now then,” I said.
As I changed my comms to channel 3, I heard Gradin’s voice on the broadcast channel that overrode all the others. “This is New York survey plane. Requesting clearance to launch.”
“This is Fringe Dig Site Command,” responded a woman’s voice. “New York survey plane, you are clear to launch.”
I was torn between envy, anger, and frustration, as I imagined the slim, silvery shape of the survey plane soaring up into the air. Gradin was late going flying today, but I wouldn’t be going flying at all.
I’d told myself I had to forget all about Gradin and flying, but how could I do that? Every day I was on the dig site, I would hear his voice on the broadcast channel, and see the survey plane in the sky.
Chapter Fourteen
At 08:50 hours the next day, I was sitting at a table in the hall with the rest of the Seventeens, and considering beating Milo to death with a chair.
All through breakfast, he’d been talking about the building he was excavating. He’d told us what he’d done yesterday. He’d told us why he’d done that rather than doing something else. He’d told us how frustrated he’d been to run out of time before finishing excavating the rubble. He’d told us how much he was looking forward to getting back there again today.
There’d been a brief respite when we all went to our rooms to change into our impact suits, but as soon as we arrived back in the hall again, he started telling us exactly how he planned to continue the excavation.
I tried to distract myself from Milo’s endless yattering by getting out my lookup and checking my mail. There was just one message from Issette. She said that the Next Step power was still failing every morning at 05:00 hours. The Principal had had experts studying every wire in the place, but nobody could work out why the power was cutting out, or why it equally mysteriously came back on at 11:00 hours.
Issette was clearly in despair at having to wait until 11:00 hours for breakfast every day. Most of the rest of my friends probably felt the same way, but I remembered the message I’d had from Keon a few days ago. If the Principal was insisting he had to get up and eat breakfast every day, then Keon would be delighted that the power ...
I frowned. Keon wasn’t just incredibly lazy but incredibly smart. I tapped at my lookup, sending him a two word, text-only message. “Stop it.”
Keon’s reply came only seconds later. “Stop what?”
I did some more tapping at my lookup. “Stop messing with the Next Step power, or I’ll tell Issette that it’s you delaying her breakfast every day.”
I expected it to take several more messages to make Keon admit his guilt, but he was too lazy to bother with ritual denials.
“There’s no need to get pushy, Jarra. The Principal has surrendered, and said I can stay in bed as long as I like in the mornings, so there won’t be any more power problems.”
I tried to imagine that conversation, but couldn’t believe either the Principal or Keon would have openly spoken about him tampering with the Next Step power supply. There probably hadn’t been a proper conversation at all, just a vague comment from the Principal about changing her mind. The important thing was that Issette wouldn’t have to wait for her breakfast again.
I put my lookup away, and found Milo was still talking. It was another two minutes before he finally paused for breath.
“I’ve been babbling about this a lot, haven’t I?” he said.
I wanted to say a heartfelt yes, but forced myself to keep quiet.
“You haven’t been team 1 tag leader for long,” said Radley, in indulgent tones. “It’s natural for you to be thrilled about it, and nobody minds you babbling.”
Dezi sighed. “Actually, we understand your excitement, Milo, but it might be an idea to change the subject now.”
“You should definitely change the subject,” said Meiling. “Judging from Jarra’s expression, she’s about ten seconds away from murdering you.”
“Oh.” Milo gave me a guilty look. “Sorry. I suppose going on about being team 1 tag leader was a bit tactless.”
“Just a little,” said Meiling.
“I promise that I’ll ...” Milo broke off his sentence, stared in the direction of the hall door, and dropped his voice to a whisper. “We’ve got a visitor. Do you think it’s a Hospital Earth Inspector come to spy on us?”
Radley shook his head and whispered back. “Hospital Earth Inspectors don’t wear impact suits.”
I twisted round in my seat so I could see the visitor. A woman was standing just inside the hall door, and gazing round the room. She was wearing an impact suit that was coloured in a dramatic red and white chequered pattern, and had her hood down to show the close-trimmed fair hair, and distinctive, generous-mouthed face that I’d seen in dozens of vid clips.
I jumped to my feet and hurried towards her. “Valeska! What are you doing at New York Fringe?”
“Gradin summoned me to come and sort out the mess he’s made of your flying lessons.” Valeska laughed. “He’s saved my life several times over the decades, so he feels entitled to order me around whenever he likes.”
Crozier had come to stand next to us, so I turned to face him and gestured at Valeska. “Crozier, this is ...”
Crozier interrupted me, speaking in a totally grazzed voice that I’d never heard him use before. “Professor Valeska Orlova, senior team leader of University Earth Archaeological Research Team 1, needs no introduction, Jarra.”
Valeska smiled. “Sadly, no longer the leader of Earth 1 research team. It was a wonderfully rewarding but physically demanding position. I handed the team over to my deputy a few months ago, and I’ve been helping out at some dig sites while I consider what to do in the new phase of my life.”
Crozier gave her an awed nod.
“You must be Jarra’s history teacher,” said Valeska. “I came here to talk to you about her flying lessons. Jarra’s been working very hard at her flying, so it would be a shame to stop her from getting her pilot’s licence.”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about that,” said Crozier. “The Dig Site Federation Air Safety Officer has banned Gradin from giving any more lessons.”
Valeska’s smile widened. “Fortunately, the Air Safety Officer and I are old friends. I’ve already discussed Gradin’s case with him. After considerable reflection on the recent events, he has agreed to lift the ban.”
I gasped. The Air Safety Officer had lifted the ban? In that case ...
“However, I’m aware that you’re acting as Jarra’s guardian while she’s here at New York Fringe, so I felt I should talk to you about the issue as well,” continued Valeska. “I appreciate you may have some reservations about letting Jarra continue flying with Gradin, but I’ve known the man for three decades. I can assure you he’s a brilliant pilot, can be depended on to help anyone in danger, and has saved the lives of the whole of Earth 1 on at least two occasions.”
She paused to laugh. “And he’s never let any of us forget what we owe him, but that’s Gradin for you. My point is that things may have looked dangerous from the ground during that emergency landing incident, but Gradin was always in full control of
the situation. Jarra will be safer flying with him than with any other Dig Site Federation pilot.”
I looked hopefully at Crozier, not daring to say a word, but willing him to agree.
“Well, if you’re convinced of Gradin’s abilities, Professor Orlova,” said Crozier, “then I’ve no objection to ...”
Valeska smoothly interrupted him. “I know that you can’t lightly agree to this when you’re concerned for the safety of one of your pupils. I suggest that I reassure you by accompanying Jarra and Gradin during future flying lessons.”
Crozier gave her a confused look. “I wouldn’t dream of putting you to so much trouble. I’m quite happy to accept your word about ...”
“That’s agreed then.” Valeska interrupted him again. “I’ll message Gradin and tell him that we’ll need to use his four-seater survey plane for this morning’s lesson.”
She unclipped her lookup from her impact suit, and tapped busily at it. I didn’t understand exactly what was going on here, but the one vital thing was clear. I was going to be able to continue my flying lessons!
Valeska attached her lookup to her impact suit again, and threw another devastating smile at Crozier. “That’s all arranged. Jarra and I had better go now. If we keep Gradin waiting, he’ll spend the first hour in the air reciting every time I’ve been late meeting him in the last three decades.”
Crozier gave Valeska a wistful look. “If you have any free time this summer, Professor Orlova, perhaps you’d consider giving a talk to my pupils?”
“I’d be delighted to do that. We really must go now, so I’ll message you later to arrange a time for the talk.” Valeska beckoned to me, and strode out of the hall door.
I chased after her, catching her up in the corridor. “It’s incredibly kind of you to help me with my flying lessons like this.”
Valeska gave me a mischievous wink. “It’s not kind of me at all, Jarra. I have my own reasons for wanting to spend some time flying with Gradin, and this is the perfect excuse.”
“Oh, you want Gradin to teach you to fly too.” Her strange insistence on joining my flying lessons suddenly made far more sense.
Valeska shuddered. “Chaos no. Gradin’s insisted on trying to teach me to fly three times already, but he does nothing but criticize me. I fly too low. I fly too high. I breathe too loudly, and at entirely the wrong moments. I can never manage more than two lessons before I threaten to jump out of the plane in midair. You must be truly desperate to get your pilot’s licence to put up with him nagging you, Jarra.”
“Gradin can be rather annoying sometimes,” I said. “If you don’t want to learn to fly, then why ...?”
We’d arrived at the portal room now. Valeska dialled the portal, we stepped through to New York Fringe reception area, and she swept up to the reception desk with me trailing in her wake. The woman working there obviously recognized Valeska, because she gave her a look of stunned admiration.
“I’m visiting some friends working here at New York,” said Valeska. “I wondered if you could help me find accommodation in the area?”
The woman nodded eagerly. “Of course I can, Professor Orlova. We’ve got a few spare rooms in our staff accommodation dome. Would one of those suit you?”
“That would be ideal, thank you,” said Valeska. “I left my bags in a storage locker at America Transit 4. I’ll bring them over later today.”
Valeska headed off down the corridor. Despite wearing an impact suit, she was moving effortlessly, and walking so fast that I could barely keep up with her. I made a mental note to try to copy her smoothly gliding steps later.
We turned left, went through a door into another corridor, and Valeska hesitated. “The last time I was at New York Fringe, that door led outside to near the landing area. They must have added another dome to this maze since then.”
“We need to go this way,” I said.
I continued on down the corridor to another door that did lead outside, and saw Gradin directly ahead of us, standing by the side of an unnervingly large aircraft. I stopped walking and bit my lip. After the way I’d yelled at him the previous morning, I felt this was going to be an awkward reunion.
Valeska stopped too. “It’s probably best if you let me do all the explaining, Jarra.”
“That would be very helpful of you,” I said gratefully. “I was a bit rude to Gradin yesterday.”
“I quite understand you being rude to Gradin. I’ve frequently been rude to him myself.”
Valeska walked on towards Gradin, and I followed, keeping a wary two steps behind her.
Gradin glared at Valeska. “Why do I have to take you along on Jarra’s flying lesson?”
She gave him an innocent look. “I persuaded the Dig Site Federation Air Safety Officer to lift the ban on you giving lessons, but Jarra’s history teacher is her acting guardian while she’s here at New York Fringe. He only agreed to let Jarra resume her flying lessons on the condition I came along to supervise them personally.”
Gradin gave an impatient sigh. “That’s ridiculous. What difference can it make if you supervise Jarra’s lessons? You wouldn’t know whether I’m following safety protocols or not. I suppose you might notice if I was flying the aircraft upside-down, but that’s about all.”
“I know it’s ridiculous, George. I did my best to convince Crozier it was unnecessary. I told him you were a brilliant pilot, and that you’d saved the lives of the whole Earth 1 team twice.”
“Three times,” interjected Gradin.
“But it was no use.” Valeska shook her head sadly. “After what happened with that emergency landing, Crozier is deeply concerned for Jarra’s safety.”
“I thought you’d be able to talk him into anything you wanted.” Gradin gave her a reproachful look. “What happened to your famous charm?”
“Perhaps I’m losing my charm now that I’m getting older,” said Valeska, in a depressed voice. “Crozier certainly seemed totally immune to it.”
“Rubbish,” said Gradin. “Even when you reach your hundredth, you’ll still just need to smile at people to have them rushing to do your bidding. You should try calling Crozier again right now.”
“There’s no point in me doing that,” said Valeska. “The man was utterly unreasonable. No matter how much I begged and pleaded, he was adamant that Jarra mustn’t set foot in a plane without me.”
I blinked at this description of the exchange between Valeska and Crozier, but didn’t say a word. I couldn’t possibly argue with Professor Valeska Orlova.
“I’ve only spoken to Crozier for thirty seconds when I called Jarra,” said Gradin, “but I admit that you’re right about him being completely unreasonable. He threatened to report me to Hospital Earth if I called her again!”
“How outrageous of him.” Valeska’s voice oozed sympathy.
Gradin finally turned to me. I was prepared for him to yell at me, but instead he gave me a smug look.
“I told you that I’d sort out the problem with the Dig Site Federation, Jarra, and I have. You’ll be able to carry on with your lessons and get your pilot’s licence just the way I promised.”
Gradin looked at me expectantly, clearly waiting for a grateful compliment. I felt that I should be thanking Valeska rather than him, but took the easy way out by saying the magic words.
“You’re the best pilot in humanity.”
Gradin smiled happily, and we all climbed into the plane. I took the co-pilot’s seat next to Gradin, while Valeska sat in the seat behind me.
“Suit hoods up and sealed now,” said Gradin.
As I pulled up my suit hood and sealed it, I heard his voice continue speaking over a private comms channel.
“Comms check,” he said. “You can both hear me?”
“Yes,” I said, tugging on my hover tunic.
“Of course,” said Valeska.
“Put your hover tunics on, and then strap yourselves in,” said Gradin.
Valeska gave a heavy sigh that made a rustling sound on the com
ms. “There’s no need to explain everything to me, George. This isn’t my first time in a plane.”
“You haven’t been flying for four years,” said Gradin.
“I haven’t been flying with you for four years,” said Valeska. “I went flying with Theo Westlake only last month.”
“What?” Gradin sounded outraged. “Why would you do something like that? Theo Westlake is a dreadful pilot. An Asgard bison could fly a plane better than him.”
“I suggest you forget your feud with Theo Westlake and focus on giving Jarra her flying lesson,” said Valeska. “Shouldn’t we be taking off or something?”
Gradin groaned. “I suppose so. Jarra, this plane is much bigger and heavier than anything you’ve flown before. I’ll do the take-off myself, and I want you to pay careful attention to what I’m doing with the thrusters.”
He paused and spoke on the broadcast channel. “This is New York survey plane. Requesting clearance to launch.”
“This is Fringe Dig Site Command. New York survey plane, you are clear to launch.”
I dutifully watched Gradin as we took off. Once we were circling over the New York Fringe Command Centre, he settled back into his seat with a satisfied grunt. “Hopefully, you won’t be flying with us for long, Valeska. Jarra’s history teacher should calm down within a few days, so you can head back to Europe again.”
“I won’t be going back to Europe,” said Valeska. “Athens Dig Site has finished tidying up after the forest fire, so I plan to stay here in New York for a while. I can give some lectures to the school parties and help out with the re-enactment of Wilson’s Creek.”
Gradin gave a despairing moan. “Don’t start trying to involve me in your ghastly re-enactment again. I haven’t forgotten what happened at the battle of Gettysburg. Theo Westlake shot me!”
“He didn’t shoot you,” said Valeska. “The rifle was loaded with blanks, he fired it by accident when it was pointed at you, and he apologized for frightening you.”
“I don’t believe it was an accident,” said Gradin darkly.
“It had to be an accident,” said Valeska. “If Theo had shot at you deliberately, he’d have used real bullets.”
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