by Rick Lakin
At the net, Jordyn said “I’m sorry I called you an alien.”
“My mother would be offended.”
“Tell your mom I'm sorry.”
“My te’ma died in battle defending a planet,” Kalinda said. Jordyn's eyes got huge. “But she would accept your apology. Let's be friends.” They hugged.
Kalinda received hugs from her father and her grandparents who came for the final match.
“Way to go, champ,” Tayla said. “What did you say to Jordyn at the beginning? It looked serious.”
“Jordyn tried to get into my head. I remembered something my te’ma said.”
“Looks like it worked.”
“It did,” Kalinda said. “Can we get pizza?”
“Omigod,” Tayla said.
They all went to pizza.
8
The Star Squad went to dinner that evening and ended up at the Masing mansion.
“Let’s watch The Empire Strikes Back,” Jennifer said.
“I thought you said you hated that movie,” David said.
“Things have changed since then,” Tayla said.
“Search your feelings. You know it to be true,” Riley said.
“It’s different now. I’ve got my dad back, so it doesn’t bring up bad memories.
When they entered the virtual Ohio Theatre, David fired up the antique popcorn machine. The four got their tickets and walked around the lobby admiring the two new movie posters, Galaxy Warrior and The Pirate Returns featuring the four members of the Star Squad.
“It's getting real, girlfriend,” Tayla said each looked at their respective posters.
After the movie, the squad returned to the recreation room. The Brilliant simulator still dominated the room but, in the center, Jennifer noticed a new item in the center of the room.
“You got a steveLearn!”
I contacted HumanAI Corp,” David said. They set me up with a state-of-the-art installation.”
“You’ll love it until I smoke your tail on the F-52 sim.”
“Is it as good as the one on Brilliant?”
“Almost,” Jennifer said. “On Brilliant, I’ve got to wear a G-Suit.”
“Really?” Riley said. “How did you pull that off?”
“Ani and I rewired the artificial gravity to localize it on the steveLearn. Dandy hates it because I have to lock him out of the Captain’s Ready Room.”
“How many Gs?” Riley asked.
“I made a ten G turn, and I didn't lose my Frappuccino.”
“What maneuvers?” David said.
“The simulator has many attack scenarios. I read an old Air Force Manual and found the most valuable information.”
“Like what?” David asked.
“The basic priorities: Maintain aircraft control, never hit the ground, never hit anything in the air, never run out of fuel, and never let anything shot from the ground or air hit your airplane.”
“That's obvious.”
“Yeah, until the ground leaves a dent in your forehead and ruins your whole day,” Jennifer said.
“Are you going to be on Brilliant tomorrow?” David said.
Jennifer nodded. “See if you can get airborne. I will be aloft around noon.”
The four hugged and then parted for the evening.
9
The smell of bacon in the morning woke Jennifer at nine a.m. She dressed, took Pugsley for a short walk, and then came into the kitchen where Sheila and Allen were enjoying breakfast. Jennifer went straight to the coffee machine and obtained her Double-shot Caramel Frappuccino that she requested on the way home from her walk.
“Good morning,” Jennifer said.
“What are your plans today?” Allen asked.
Jennifer gathered a plateful and sat. “I'm going into Tovar to do some script updates then I'll spend some stick time on the Bobcat Sim.”
“Do you ever spend time with your boyfriend?” Sheila said.
“We’re going to meet at 12,000 feet over the Anza Borrego Desert around noon.”
“Does Jack know that you spend most of your waking hours in his ready room?” Sheila said.
“We have an understanding,” Jennifer said. “I save his StarCruiser, and he lets me hang out there.”
“And your cat?” Sheila said.
“Dandy keeps mice and small animals from coming aboard Brilliant.”
“I’ve got a gadget to sell you that keeps away elephants,” Allen said.
“There aren’t any elephants around here.”
“See? It works.”
“Dandy Lion keeps me company.”
“And holds up work around the studio while people hold him,” Sheila said.
“That's a feature, not a bug.”
“Can you be home by 4:30? Anthen and Kalinda are coming over, and we’re barbecuing.”
“May I invite the squad?”
“I planned on it.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ve got to go,” Jennifer said. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
Jennifer returned to her workspace.
“The script is proofed and clean,” Sami said. “I notice that you toned down the part of Azolyn. Her screen test is Monday.”
“I've got mixed feelings. I don't know how K'da will do,” Jennifer said.
“I know that she will do well Monday,” Sami said.
“You’ve got the vision thing, now?”
“I happen to know your sister well. Kalinda has the same passion for excellence that you've got,” Sami said. “She can adapt to a steep learning curve, and she won't give up.”
“You're right, but I'm going to send her this script. If she looks like an actor, I'll beef up her part,” Jennifer said.
“Message to Kalinda: K’da, here is the Galaxy Warrior script. Your lines will be printed out but will come from here. Good Luck.”
“Message sent with an attachment,” Sami said.
“Thanks, Sami. Where's Dandy? He cannot be in this room when I fly the simulator.”
“He has been sighted at various places on the Tovar lot panhandling for attention from tourists,” Sami said. “You’re going to practice on the F-52?”
“David is going to join up around noon.”
“Good luck. It might get crowded up there.” Jennifer gave Sami a curious look. Sami winked.
Jennifer stood outside a circle in the center of the Captain's Ready Room. The circle was the focus of the most complex simulations on steveLearn. “Ani, initiate F-52U Sim with gravity.” A full-size segment of the F-52 that included the cockpit and the clear bubble canopy appeared in the center of the room.
“Bobcat Sim is up,” Ani said. “Chief Petty Officer Sam Wilson is your plane captain. Have a good flight.”
Jennifer donned her flight suit, took her flight helmet in her right hand and entered the circle and found herself in the desert near El Centro, California.
After viewing the clear air to the horizon, Jennifer walked around her aircraft for preflight. She checked the landing gear, the instrumentation, and most importantly, the flight surfaces.
As she was finishing her walk-around, Chief Wilson approached wearing the woodland green and tan camos. His blonde hair matched his yellow eyes.
“The aircraft looks ready, chief,” Jennifer said. “Do I have enough fuel?”
“Seriously, ma’am. The Bobcat has twin Scott Reactors. She’ll go around the word on a liter of distilled water.”
“I feel the need for speed, Chief,” Jennifer said.
“Speed, she’s got,” Chief Wilson said. “Point the nose at the sun, slam the throttles against the firewall, and this Bobcat will reach Mach three-point-six at twenty thousand feet.”
“This aircraft looks brand new,” Jennifer said.
“She just got here,” Chief Wilson said. “Still has that new car smell.”
She handed her helmet to the plane captain and mounted the ladder, verified that the ejection seat was safe and locked, climbed in, connected the safety harness, then atta
ched the compressed air line to her G-suit.
Chief Wilson climbed up next to her, handed her the helmet, and verified the air line was connected. “You may take some G’s. Your G-suit will keep your blood in your head where you need it, so you don’t black out. You’re all set for pre-flight.” He climbed down the ladder and pulled it clear of the aircraft.
Switches, dials, and display panels surrounded her. Between her knees was the control stick with numerous buttons and toggles and at her left hand was the throttle. Front and center was the heads-up-display and above her shoulders was the bubble canopy which allowed her to swivel her head in every direction to see above and around her aircraft.
“Good morning, Bobcat,” Jennifer said.
“Good morning, Pilot,” the Combat Artificial Tactician said. “Login?”
“Recognize Jendroid, authorization Dandy Lion,” Jennifer said.
“Welcome aboard,” Bobcat said.
“Please close the canopy.” The plexiglass bubble lowered, sealing her in the pressurized compartment. Jennifer inhaled. Pine scent? she thought. Good job, Chief.
“El Centro Tower verifies your flight plan is approved,” Bobcat said.
“Very well,” Jennifer said. “Spin up the turbines and verify reactors available to full power.”
She listened and felt the turbines begin to rotate, pass through the resonant frequency, and come up to speed.
“Reactors are nominal for turbine and ramjet power, Jendroid,” Bobcat said. “All Checkoffs complete. Propulsion on throttle control. Your tail number is twelve. The aircraft is ready,” Bobcat said.
“El Centro ground, Jendroid twelve, F-52 uniform, request taxi runway two-six for VFR departure to Superstition Mountain exercise area,” Jennifer said.
“Jendroid twelve, taxi two-six, squawk 3743, below fifteen thousand,” El Centro ground control said.
“Jendroid twelve.” Jennifer rotated her head in all directions to verify the area was clear. She then nudged the throttle forward and followed the yellow lines. During a full stop at the runway boundary, Jennifer did final checks on the flight control surfaces.
“El Centro Tower, Jendroid twelve holding short Runway two-six, ready for takeoff.”
“Jendroid twelve, Cleared for takeoff Runway two-six, after departure turn right course 3-1-0, do not exceed Mach .8 in the transit corridor.
“Jendroid twelve.”
Jennifer nudged the throttles, and the Bobcat moved forward. She turned to position the aircraft on the centerline of Runway two-six headed almost directly west. Once more she scanned the immediate area and checked the radar.
She set the brakes and moved the throttle to Full Military Power.
She felt the rumbling and vibration. She released the brakes and for the first time felt the artificial gravity created by Brilliant pushing her into the seat
“V1,” Bobcat said. She was now committed to the air.
“Vr.” Jennifer eased back on the stick, and the nose rose twenty degrees above the horizon.
“V2.” The vibration of the rolling wheels disappeared. The aircraft accelerated at a higher rate.
“Gear up,” Jennifer said.
“Landing Gear retracted,” Bobcat said.
“Jendroid twelve, radar contact, say altitude,” Air Traffic Control said.
“Climbing through eight hundred feet, Jendroid twelve.”
“Jendroid twelve, turn right to 3-1-0. Do not exceed six-hundred-fifty knots. Proceed to Superstition Mountain VFR. Good Hunting.
“Course 3-1-0. Jendroid twelve.” She looked north-northwest toward the exercise area.
She set the throttle so that the rate of climb was three thousand feet per minute. Three more minutes and Jennifer was at Ten Thousand feet. Jennifer set the throttles to six-hundred knots for the four-minute flight.
“You are now within the training area,” Bobcat said. “Do not exceed Mach one-point-seven. Stay below fifteen thousand feet.”
“Thanks, Bobcat,” she said. She pulled back on the throttles and set the speed at four-hundred. She leveled the aircraft at eight thousand feet. “I'm going to execute a barrel roll. Please record and evaluate.”
A barrel roll is essentially a loop and a roll combined. Let’s see if I can do this right the first time, she thought. Jennifer focused on the Artificial Horizon Indicator. To do a barrel roll, I have to roll three-sixty and return to the same altitude and heading. She remembered it as a quick maneuver when she performed it in a Franklin Biplane simulator.
Jennifer looked forward and selected a peak on the horizon. She looked over the right wing and focused on a point on the ground and pulled the control stick back rapidly to pitch up the nose. She pressed the right rudder. The right wing stalled causing the fighter to rotate clockwise on the long axis. She spotted the reference point to her right. As the aircraft rolled, she reversed the rudder so that she was full left rudder when the artificial horizon showed that she was inverted. She felt the effect of two-and-a-half times her weight. At the same time, she was pushing the control stick forward to keep constant altitude. As she approached level flight, she eased the rudder and the stick back to center. Her airspeed bled to two-fifty. Got it in one.
“Bobcat, replay and comment.”
The display switched to a 3D view from over her left shoulder. She saw her F-52 painted squadron grey rotate 360 degrees right and freeze at straight and level. She saw the wings waggle as she overshot the roll by 10 degrees. She was 14 feet above her original altitude.
“Very nice, Jendroid,” Bobcat said. “In the fleet, they allow no more than a fifteen-degree overshoot and a twenty-foot altitude variation. The Blue Angels specify five and five for their team.”
Jennifer performed the maneuver three more times. The last two met the Blue Angels specs.
Let’s see how many G’s I can pull on a turn. She pushed the throttle to the limit and immediately felt four G's of acceleration. She felt her G-suit inflate. She turned the stick to the right, and the fighter rotated ninety degrees. She then pulled back on the stick and began a high G turn. She maintained altitude with the rudder and continued until she returned to her original heading. She then rotated the aircraft level.
“How many G’s, Bob?” Jennifer said.
“You maxed out at 8.7, near the auto-stop,” Bobcat said. “This aircraft won’t exceed 9 G’s when a human is aboard.”
“I felt it.” Jennifer was sweating and on the verge of nausea, but she recovered quickly.
“You’ve got company. A friendly F-52 has entered the training area.”
“Please identify?”
“Callsign Moviestar,” Bobcat said.
She keyed her radio. “Hello, David.”
“Hi, Jen,” David said. “Out for a stroll?”
“Just a lazy afternoon,” Jennifer responded. “Join up on my right wing. Let’s do some formation flying. See if you can stay on my wing.”
“I’m your best friend. Try and lose me.”
Jennifer looked over her right shoulder and waved at David in the identical cockpit. She added throttle and pulled back on the stick. When she reached the top of the loop inverted, she rolled one-hundred eighty degrees to level flight. There was David on her left wing now.
“Immelmann,” David said.
Jennifer then performed a barrel roll to the left pulling a forty-five-degree angle then depressing her left rudder. David did the same but bled speed to maintain spacing. He reversed the adjustment at inverted and wound up correctly placed on her left wing.
Let’s see if he has been studying, Jennifer thought. She raised her right fist in the air.
David waggled his wings and did a smooth crossover to her right wing.
Jennifer banked one-hundred thirty-five degrees and then pulled back on the stick. David followed. She completed the one-hundred eighty-degree loop and then rolled back to level flight. David finished the Pitchback on her right wing.
“Take over lead, David,” Jennifer said. Jennifer r
educed the throttle gave up some altitude and then formed up on David’s right wing.
“Stay with me, Jendroid,” David said.
He rolled right and began a high-g turn. Jennifer saw the vapor that formed above David's wings. They returned to base course.
“Only 7.2 G's,” Jennifer said. “I did 8.7 before you got here. Wait…mine count.” David was in his recreation room near Castro Peak without artificial gravity.
David did a snap roll to inverted and pulled back on his stick. Jennifer followed on his left wing with a Split-S.
“Warning: two Bogies to your Southwest,” Bobcat said. “Identify two F-52s squawking hostile. Range twenty miles. They’re supersonic and will intercept in eighty seconds.”
“What the hell?” David said.
“Callsigns?” Jennifer said.
“Callsigns Ani and Sami,” Bobcat said.
“Sami said it might get crowded up here.”
“Let’s get some altitude,” David said.
“Our hard ceiling is fifteen thousand.” Why does he ignore the rules?
David pulled back on the stick and pushed the throttle to the stop and accelerated through Mach One vertical with Jennifer on his wing. He leveled at forty-two thousand feet at Mach 2.7 on an intercept course.
“Bandits will pass below and to your right,” Bobcat said. Bobcat was now acting as Radar Intercept Officer for both David and Jennifer. “Recommend arming lasers.”
“Let’s kick some AI butt, Jennifer.”
Both pilots raised the red cover and operated the master arming switch. This is real now, Jennifer thought.
“Bandits eight o’clock low,” David said. “Break, break.”
Jennifer rolled right and pulled. This time she felt all nine G’s.
“I’ve got Bandit Two, Jen.”
Following protocol, she scanned the skies for the leader as David pursued the trail bandit.
Ani was in Bandit One. She pulled up to her right and rolled to target David.