Crash Landing by Zac Harrison Read Free Book Online Page A

of the cockpit slid back. With a hiss, a panel opened in the machine’s side, dropping steps. On trembling legs, John climbed in and put on what looked like a metal motorcycle helmet. At once, foam-like material inside it swelled to cushion his head.
    As he sat, the flight seat moved forward automatically and the controls dropped until they were within reach. Across the screens in front of him, strange symbols appeared and quickly vanished and were replaced with English. Even so, the electronic panels still looked incredibly complicated. Among the few that John could understand were panels marked “Fuel”, “Power”, and “Velocity”; other screens showed complicated graphs and what looked like 3-D star maps.
    “Preflight checks,” said Jegger’s voice through his helmet. “Close and lock.” John turned his head to see Emmie in the t-dart next to him lean over and pull something near her feet. Looking down, he saw a small lever. He gave it a tug. At once the steps folded back into their panel and the cockpit door closed overhead.
    “Power up your engines!” barked Jegger’s voice. “That’s to the right of your panel, for anyone who’s forgotten over the holidays.”
    John stretched out his hand to the touchscreen panel.
    “Wait!” snapped Jegger. “Do NOT start engines.” Slightly muffled, as if the sergeant were speaking away from the microphone, he continued. “Mordant. Why are you late?”
    Through the speakers in his own helmet, John heard Mordant reply from a distance, “I was attending a meeting in Lorem’s office.” The tone of his voice made it sound as though he and the headmaster had been locked away discussing important business.
    Sergeant Jegger wasn’t fooled. “In trouble again, cadet?” he snapped.
    John couldn’t help breaking into a grin inside his helmet, as he heard Mordant splutter.
    “Save it for someone who cares,” Jegger said over Mordant’s protests. “Just get in a dart. On the double, you’re holding up my class.”
    A few moments later, Jegger’s voice came through clearly again, sounding annoyed. “Right, if everyone is quite ready, power up .”
    John pressed a red glowing panel on the touchscreen and felt his seat begin to vibrate gently. In his helmet, Jegger’s voice barked again. “Orders, cadets. Listen up and listen good. As this is your first solo flight, we won’t be going any further than the hangar deck. You’ll be flying very slowly.”
    John felt his shouders sag with relief. He might just be able to handle the t-dart after all.
    “Now, let’s get moving. Punch the power up to three.”
    John found the “Power” screen and touched it experimentally. In the top corner the number one flashed and the ship vibrated a little more urgently. John touched the panel twice more until the number changed to three.
    “Grip the control stick firmly.”
    Obeying the instructor, John felt the landing gear fold back into the craft beneath him. It was now hovering a metre above the deck. Gritting his teeth and feeling a bead of sweat break out on his forehead, John tried to keep the control stick perfectly still.
    “Now, one at a time, when I call your name, pull back gently and click back the flight button on top. Ascend to thirty metres and circle the deck. Ready... Tarz, go!”
    John watched as Emmie’s t-dart tilted and flew smoothly upward. Levelling off, it began to fly slowly around the hanger.
    “Excellent, Tarz,” said Jegger, with a tiny hint of approval in his voice. “Rabbus, go. Keep at least twenty metres behind Tarz.”
    One by one, the t-darts took off. None as smoothly as Emmie Tarz’s, but Jegger gave instructions to the pilots until they were flying in good order around the perimeter of the hangar. Soon, only two were left on the deck. “Talliver, go,” the sergeant ordered.
    As Mordant’s craft rose up to join the line of ships, Jegger’s voice barked in John’s ears again. “ You . Last cadet. Who are you?”
    “John Riley,