One Giant Leap

by Keith Martin

  She did as he asked. The men got quiet to share this milestone.

  “Repeat after me...” He looked into her eyes with pride. “I, Shianne Chisholm.”

  “I, Shianne Chisholm...” She responded in kind.

  “Will stop calling the General ‘Fred’...”

  The men all started to laugh.

  “Will stop calling Fred, ‘Fred’...” A roar of laughter bellowed from the gathered crowd then calmed quickly, wanting to miss nothing.

  “And I will do as I’m told when flying Fred’s shuttles.”

  “And I will do as I’m told when flying the G-Class shuttles I designed that Fred has command of.”

  He exhaled in frustration but didn’t skip a beat. He couldn’t argue with her words, after all she was just telling it like it was. “And I will be the best pilot I can be as long as S.M.B. can use me.”

  “And I will be the best damn pilot that has ever graced the seat of a shuttle, and will fly for mankind for all of my days.” She said to a roar of approval from the men.

  “Hell, that’s good enough for me boys, that good enough for all of you?” The General asked as he pulled a ball cap with silver wings on its bill and placed it on her head.

  Otto pinned her silver wings over her heart.

  Both men gave her a quick salute and she returned it. The hall was a din of big miners showing their joy at this promotion for Otto’s daughter.

  “One last thing…” The General pulled her near to him. “You’re ‘Shi Blue’ now.”

  “I love you too Fred.” She called back so that all would hear.

  “WE LOVE YOU FRED.” The miners added their voice to the moment.

  * * *

  Ashley watched her father walk away from the crowd and answer his phone. She walked to within three feet of him when she stopped.

  Ashley knew that most to the people her father would speak to were right here with him. She heard him say. “A chopper. That was smart!”

  ‘This was someone on Earth then.’ Ashley figured.

  “Yes…. I’m glad she is excited… Yes…. me too… Vandenberg in ten hours… That would be great. Bring all you can. It’s not like we can just go to the corner store from here.” He chuckled. “Just hurry. It could be days before the next flight up. Me too… almost doesn’t feel right to me… it’s been seventeen years…yes… bye now… yes.” “Hi Jill…yes I’m sure… yes she told me that too…on my e-mail then…. I will right away…you two just hurry…. tell her goodbye and good luck.” He hung up.

  He turned and she stood there in his path. “I’m so happy for you Dad.” She kissed his cheek. “Linda?”

  “And her life partner Jill.” He explained. “They are on the way now. Your sister will be picking them up for me.”

  “We will be fine with this Dad. You have waited more than long enough… and Dad?”

  “Yea baby girl?”

  “You go Dad.” She started to do a happy dance for him like his little girl.

  They walked arm in arm towards the main base and stopped at a Com Link to get a look at Jill. She was in a wetsuit and holding a lobster the size of a small dog. “Wow.” Was all he would say, and then he took off with Ashley in tow to get things moving. He would need one more living unit attached to his for them all, and a bigger bed. He had to get things ready.

  * * *

  “Joshua, wake up.” It had been days since they had started the streaming video to the Moon. So far there had been not much of a reply. She was wondering what was going on back there.

  He only snored.

  “Honey I’m naked.” She teased him to see how he would react to it.

  He bolted upright and looked at her. “You will pay for that woman…Coffee!” He barked playfully.

  “Coffee please…” She got him a mug full. “Get this, get that, coffee, drop simulator now, kiss me…. Do I look like your wife?” She handed the coffee to him and could see something was wrong. “Joshua what is it?” She had disconnected the live streaming feed before waking him.

  He took a couple of good pulls from his mug and then opened up to her. “It was the weirdest dream. Dad was living with two women and they were both pregnant. Then there’s this stunning woman that’s tiny and Asian and she’s all excited to be moving to the Moon to be with Dad and the two pregnant women.”

  “Wow, lucky guy.” She said with a smile.

  “You don’t understand. Dad doesn’t date. Not in a long time, ever since my mom passed away.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  “No…seventeen years I think.”

  “Wow she was lucky to have a man like that.”

  “We were all lucky to have her too.” Joshua said, then fell silent for a while drinking his coffee. ‘What is going on back there?’ He thought as he sat quietly thinking about it all. ‘Three women… Linda...? Three women?’ Things didn’t add up but then this was not a normal time in life and things did change.

  He finished the mug and he looked to her. “Well… drop school. How are you doing?”

  “I hit the last thirty-five within one hundred meters.” She told him proudly.

  “That’s good shooting Tex. Now, show me so I can see it Baby.” He chased her to the pilot’s seat loving the view of her racing ahead of him just out of his reach. Her movements were fluid and sensual, there was no way to catch her, spaces in the cockpit were tight and filled with every switch and gage known to mankind. He had to move with care through this to his seat, and she simply ran there slipping through the space like it was an obstacle course.

  * * *

  Shianne got a call just as she was starting to suit up. “Hello Ashmo. What’s cooking?”

  It was her turn to blow away her sister. “Save two seats up front please.”

  “Dad has some friends coming up?”

  “Two friends, Yes.”

  “OK…. Linda and whom?” Shianne was no fool.

  “Her name is Jill. She is. …Oops.” She giggled. “… They are coming up. They are family now. Think of it…. our family is starting to grow Shianne.”

  “Big Christmas.” Shianne grinned, letting Ashley know her vote on this change in the Chisholm family tree. “Their seats are saved. I’ll let them ride the Navigations and Life Support Systems Stations. We just need Con Man and I to make this crossing.

  “Suit up woman. Go fly little flying things, you must be freaking.” Ashley understood her sister had to be in hog heaven about now.

  “Is there a governor on this thing?” Shianne’s voice shot back and hung up on her.

  * * *

  Linda had to contact the coast guard for help bringing Jill back to shore. Jill was on a research vessel off the coast of Panama and was on her way home as soon as Linda called her. She was amazed at how fast it all happened. They were transported with a full combat crew onboard for protection as they headed to the shuttle. Otto had sent word of their crossing to the Moon down to the base Commander. She assured him his charges would arrive in perfect health, and then she called out the Coast Guard to lend a hand.

  She was packing for two hours when she heard the Coast Guard chopper setting down in the park a few hundred yards away. Most of what she planned to bring was ready and the women of the transport crew were happy helping them get it to the truck.

  The escort’s orders were to stay with them until they were in the shuttle and assist with moving, which was a great help. Linda made them lunch as appreciation for helping with the move. Upon reaching the truck the driver told them that all blood work needed before departure, and their check up was on schedule, and that it would be a fun ride out to the base. She told them to sit in the gunner’s seats so that they could see a full view around the truck as it rocketed down the Interstate 5 Autobahn.

  At one hundred and twenty five mph she just held it down letting the truck eat up the road. The view was that of a plane at a few feet above the ground. In a long stretch of flat area the driver opened up to one sixty five mph leaving it there for
thirty minutes. The two of them were without doubt on the adventure of a lifetime.

  It took just four hours to reach the front gates at Vandenberg. They drove through a Guard Station at the side of the runways passing through without even slowing down.

  As they drove up to a massive hanger the Base Commander Karen stood waiting for them and got into in the truck as it stopped. “Hi Jill” She extended her hand in greeting. “Then you must be Chair Linda?” They shook hands also she boarded and the truck drove them to the Med Lab.

  Karen took them to her office and had them sit down. She drew blood from them both and sent it off to the lab. “Don’t worry about your things, they will find you on the Moon. They are being packed and weighed as we sit here. Drink?” She offered fruit juice, each took one. “You two are just lovely, Healthy as horses, yes?”

  “Yes.” They both replied.

  “You understand we have to start a file on each of you, you are going to the Moon after all. So I will just ask questions, and you answer them as they come along. I’ll try to make this fast.” “Linda, age?”

  “Thirty-two.”

  “Twenty-four.” Jill added.

  “I see that this will be easy.” She said. Karen chuckled to herself thinking of the physical beauty and intelligence the young women selected for this mission possessed.

  Three of those headed up were here at Chiefs request. Picked for one reason only, beauty. That they were also brilliant was a pleasant surprise. He also hedged his bet by making sure all of them were studying farming on Earth.

  From there they suited up in S.M.B. jumpsuits and new personals. Their feet got new cotton socks and high top boots. Both liked the look. “It’s best under the Space suits. It makes getting in them so much easier.” Karen explained.

  “And we look like we were dipped too.” Jill flexed and showed off.

  “A nut case.” Linda laughed as Karen walked them through the new air exchange chamber.

  “Hey wait for me!” Jill came running and took an arm from them both. “So…we are going to go to live on the Moon…today, in a few hours… could I be pinched to be sure this is real?”

  Her scream was bone shattering and it sent Jill off her toes. She now had at least one bruise to show for playing around, all of them were in high spirits as they took seats in the waiting area. Karen switched on a screen and it showed the location of G-3 in real time. They could see it moving slowly and its speed was showing in real time on a bar at the bottom of the screen. A counter also counted down the miles to Vandenberg.

  Wow, that’s really them?” Jill asked watching the screen.

  “In real time, yes.” Karen informed them. “I have to go check on the others that will be going up with you.” Karen turned to go then stopped. “You ladies can get the men to do a better job of picking women, can’t you? Are we really just shipping beauty queens to the Moon?”

  “Don’t you worry we will be taking this task in hand.” Linda assured her looking out toward the waiting women.

  “Could take hours more to pull it off, could be days.” Karen advised them looking towards a gaggle of perfect blonds.

  “Like totally!” Jill did her best valley girl imitation and had them all busting up.

  “What’s really wild is they all have degrees. Its required and I will not fudge on that.” Karen added and a new round of laughter ensued. The waiting was going to be a real side buster with this crew.

  * * *

  As they finished with their checkups the woman found their way to the showers and then into the waiting area. It was soon filling up with living trophies, they seemed to be everywhere. Linda was feeling her age and a little self-conscious about her looks. The trophy squad was no more then 25 years of age. All perfect specimens of the female form.

  Jill took her out of her spell with a few simple words as she took her seat next to her. “Wow… If only one of them was as stunning as you we would have someone to check out!”

  * * *

  Karen walked in and noticed that they were watching the landing on the big screen monitor as they were sizing up the rest of the women headed to the Moon with them. “I shouldn’t be doing this after you’ve finished showering, but would you like to go watch your step daughter land the shuttle?”

  “God that sounds weird!” Jill said and stood to go extending her hand to Linda. As she helped Linda up she stopped and kissed her passionately thanking her for taking her on this adventure. “I know how much you love Otto and his family, it blows me away that you’re willing to share them with me.”

  “Girl you have it all wrong, I’m willing to share you with them.” She kissed her deeply and took her in tow.

  The waiting room went silent while they walked out. Karen walked them across the hanger floor to the doors facing the runways. “It’s the dot up there.” Karen pointed to a dot that was moving in the sky.

  “Why do we get to see this and not the rest of the girls?” Linda asked Karen without taking her eye from the growing dot.

  “Shianne is my friend, I have even met Ashley and Joshua. But he was in a space suit at the time. I have even talked to Otto on the Moon via his personal cell phone. I have him on speed dial, Joshua and the girls also. I have your cell phone numbers programmed in too. You will get your new phones when you read your contracts on the way up. You will get a package when you are strapped in. I consider you each a part of my new family, we will be spending many hours together, if we are going to help in the saving our race thing that is?”

  Linda looked to Karen for just a second and replied. “Thank God you’re on our side.” She took Karen’s hand as they watched the shuttle slowly drift down as graceful as can be and less then sixty feet from the start of runway.

  * * *

  “Are we there yet?” This was her game and she wanted to be the best at hitting the mark when landing. Shianne hit the breaks and got G-3 settled down to Earth. “Honey, were home. Over.” She informed the tower she had touched down.

  “Copy that Commander, you are clear to the loading bay. Welcome home. Over.

  G-3 pulled into the loading bay as the loading crews got to work. Ground power and communications were hooked up. The tires chocked. The massive fuel lines connected and the pumps started, two three-inch lines blowing fuel at forty psi and a one-inch line refilling the liquid oxygen in the tail. A crew chief was patched into the cabin as they were servicing for the return trip.

  A crane came into view with what looked like a dump truck flying off the ground on cables. “What is that?” Linda asked astonished by the size of it.

  “There are three of them on this shuttle, loaders for Ton on the digging crew, all their personal affects too.” Karen informed them. “Well let’s get you ladies suited up and on board. The loading will only take half an hour or so, and the fueling crews are always finished in under that.”

  Karen personally helped them into their space suits. They didn’t have to wait for the four suit-up techs to finish with the squad. It went fast with everyone helping out. They were designed to go on easy, and these beauties knew how to dress themselves.

  They redesigned the space suit so that they were the saturation chambers. The suits had airlines to the tips of each finger and toe then expelling all waste air out the top of the helmet. To do it like this would use far less Moon air. With their suits on and fair thee wells said by Karen she left them in the chamber as it filled with the other woman. Everyone was taking seats and breaking up into little clicks.

  The adrenalin injection made them feel as if they had downed four triple espressos shots. Then the rush of air and the clean smell of it told of things to come. They were monitored for thirty minutes to be sure there was no virus in their systems. Then they were escorted to the ship as it waited just outside the hangar doors. Linda and Jill were taken to seats in the control cabin area and asked not to touch anything at the stations. Once they were both strapped in; the strap-in crew connected them to the G-3 Com link.

  All of the
women were strapped in and the hatch door was closed and sealed. Jill and Linda could see the view changing so they knew they were in fact moving. They couldn’t feel it in the massive shuttle. They talked of the things they were seeing and of what was to come. Both excited to be leaving for the Moon.

  The nose of the ship lined up with the runway and they came to a stop.

  17 Welcome to G-3 Airlines

  “Good afternoon ladies and welcome to G-3 Airlines.” Pete got the ball rolling over the Com Link from the Moon. “We will be flying at a height of two hundred and fifty thousand miles today and we are expecting clear weather all the way. This will be the fastest ride of your lives; hell it could be the fastest ride of anyone’s life. Thanks to your pilot, the beautiful and talented Commander Shianne Chisholm. Her code name is Shi Blue and she wants to see if she can really fly this thing. This will be her third takeoff and she thinks she is getting the hang of it.”

  “G-3 to Mission Control, come in, over.”

  “G-3 this is Mission Control, General Bragg here. Would you follow orders if I asked you to get home fast...? Over.”

  “It’s what I do best General.” Shianne took the ships controls in her hands. Pete was still jabbering at the load of blonds. It was keeping them entertained and calm, so Shianne didn’t mind too much. She did notice that he was not trying to in any way take control of the ship from her, he was simply connected incase the need came up and he was there to back her play

  She switched her COM to Linda and Jill only. “Hi ladies…Shianne here, you’re Linda and Jill. Long time no see Linda?”

  “Yes it has been some time. It is good to be in your safe hands Shianne. I’m sure Otto sent his best to fetch us.”

  “Wow that is going to take some getting used to Linda. You know I will love you both. But it’s been just me and Ashley for a long time.”