Blood Calls
Page 13
“Really,” he said, relieved to see her smile.
“These are the yokes,” he said, patting the joystick handles in front of him. “They direct the ship up, down, left, right.” As he explained, he went through the motions. He could see that she was paying close attention.
“This is the throttle,” he continued, and he laid a hand on the large lever between him and LJ. “Move it back to go forward, forward to go back. The farther you move it, the faster you go. Middle puts you at a full stop.”
He gestured to the pedals at his feet. “Strafe peddle left right,” he finished.
He pressed the button on his seat, and it slid back. “Take her for a spin,” he invited.
“Really?” She looked stunned.
Waving at the seat, he nodded.
Grinning from ear to ear, she climbed into the pilot’s seat. As it slid forward, LJ and Robin shared a smile.
“What happens if I turn just one of the sticks?” Freya asked.
“You roll the ship,” Robin answered. When she looked at him, he added, “Let’s wait on that, okay?”
Before Freya could really get started, a deep rumbling groan reverberated through the ship.
“What was that?” Freya said in surprise.
Turning to eye the door, Robin felt a chill run down his spine.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly.
The groaning sounded again. As the ship vibrated under his feet, he fisted one hand and felt his armor expand.