Alec's Dream
Page 20
* * * *
Alec stood outside the ALEC’S DREAM watching the ground crew prep it for its monumental flight around the moon.
“Are you sure they’re in there?” Phyllis Young, the ships co-pilot asked.
“A couple of hours, at least” he replied. “I watched them sneak in. As far as I know, they’ve been planning on hiding in the storage bench in the rear cabin.” Unknown to Jessie, he had modified the surveillance system to override her video camouflaging devices. He felt rumbling through the floor as a fork truck rushed past.
“I don't know guys, I feel really bad about this. Shouldn't we just get them out of there?” Clay’s wife Dolores asked for the umpteenth time. “It was planned all along for you two to go, maybe you should…” she let her question trail off.
Jodi squeezed Alec’s arm in agreement. Alec looked at Clay realizing he mirrored his own frown.
“The ship’s been on a dozen flights. We've doubled the shielding on every system. Besides, if anything did go wrong, you wouldn't find a backup engineer and technician better than Jessie.” Alec argued.
“And Sofie could pilot the ship blindfolded.” Clay added.
“But what if something happens? How would we help them?” Jodi rehashed the discussion from the previous night when the girls were sleeping.
Alec could sense she wanted a better answer. She always knew when he was holding something back. “There's a second shuttle at Big Sky headquarters, it almost matches this one part for part” His response took everyone by surprise… for different reasons.
“Wasn't that supposed to be a secret?” asked Clay.
“You guys are about the only ones that don't know.” He said to girls. “I think everyone involved would agree that you should be told now that the kids are going to go on this trip.” Besides it was killing him to keep a secret from her.
“So what do you want us to do with them?” Leland Briggs the ships pilot asked, a bit too gruff.
Alec didn’t know how to answer him. With the launch just a few minutes away, anxiety was making him second guess their decision. He looked first at Jodi, then over at Clay and Dolores for support. Not getting any, he decided. “I still think we should let the kids go... if it's OK with the pilot and crew.”
The three members of the flight crew huddled. They were an experienced crew and had flown the ALEC’S DREAM many times. Leland was a career fighter pilot for the Marines, built like fireplug and topped with a crew cut. Phyllis was an ex-Air Force helicopter pilot and Jade Warren, their navigator, was a highly skilled technician, physicist and mechanic.
“I, for one, do not want to be a baby-sitter.” groused Leland as he broke away from their discussion.
Jade looked sideways at Leland. “Well I wouldn't mind them coming along. I like them and don’t think they need babysitting.”
“As long as they stay out of the way, I don't mind. Maybe they'll break the monotony, provide some decent conversation.” Phyllis added getting an indignant look from both Leland and Jade.
“You've got your answer.” Leland gave Alec a half salute and turned on his heel. Phyllis and Jade smiled and waved so-long before taking off after him.